The early 1860s was a particularly unsettling time for many of those living in small towns and villages in Bohemia which, although still part of the Austrian Empire, was on the verge of incorporation into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their Egerland district was a densely populated part of the country. It was increasingly difficult to see a real future for their growing number of children. Further the church, which meant so much to them, had become somewhat divided, taxation had increased and the threat of yet another conflict was never far from their thoughts.

Only a handful of those who emigrated to New Zealand were landholders. Some were trades people but most were employed as labourers on farms, doing manual work in the towns or were coal miners. Their womenfolk were tied down looking after big families, while some of the single women were domestic servants and a few were lace makers.

Stories abounded of others who had already left for a fresh start in the New World and letters were drifting back, principally from America but also a few from Canada and Australia, with glowing accounts of new freedoms and opportunities in return for enterprise and hard work.

Little was known about New Zealand. However interest was quickly aroused when, in 1862, they gathered in homes and halls to the south west of Pilsen to listen to Michael KRIPPNER of Mantau whose brother Martin had been in NZ since early 1860. Martin KRIPPNER, a Captain in the Austrian Army, had found favour in New Zealand political circles and was on good terms with NZ’s Governor, (Sir) George Grey. Michael KRIPPNER read out and talked about Martin’s enthusiastic letters that spoke glowingly about the ‘Wasteland Settlement’ Scheme and the Government’s desire to find suitable people to settle the Puhoi Block just north of Auckland which had recently been bought by the NZ Government from the friendly local Maori Chief, TE HEMARA TAUHIA.

The impression was that this was a place where the sun always shone, there were no winters and the bush was full of wild honey. Who would not have become excited at the prospect of 40 acres of free land for each adult plus 20 acres for each child aged between 5 and 18? Here was the chance to actually own land and be one’s own master. Surely an opportunity not to be missed. They quickly calculated that this entitled families to 140 acres (56 Ha) or more which was a huge area in comparison with the size of an average intensely cultivated farm in central Europe.

It had been glossed over that this particular block of Puhoi land was steep, not particularly fertile and with few flats that could be ploughed or cultivated. Also the hills were covered with dense almost impregnable heavy native forest. (The shock when they actually came face to face with their blocks after arrival does not bear thinking about.) Under the plan, emigrants were required to pay their own passages and coming to New Zealand was a bigger hurdle and considerably more expensive than for those going to America. The distance, half a world away, could not have been greater. However never having seen the open sea, oceans were merely larger lakes and not having ventured far, the boredom and hardships of 100 days under sail out of sight of land as steerage passengers would not have figured so that aspect was not to deter them.

The first main group of 82 Bohemians - 37 adults, 14 teenagers, 25 children and 6 toddlers and babes in arms (2 more were born on the way) said goodbye to parents, relatives, friends and a Homeland that they would never see again. Others left behind were sad but they had other commitments or more simply could not raise the fare. However there was always the hope that perhaps some of their brothers, sisters and cousins would follow later (as indeed some did). After all the worry and stress making arrangements and finding out at the last minute just how few possessions they were allowed to take, the time finally arrived for them to take their leave.

It was all so heartbreaking but at the same time exciting to be heading for an idyllic place where a much better life awaited !!

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