This is the soc.culture.new-zealand list of Frequently Asked Questions, and
some hopefully useful answers.

It should be possible to find the latest edition of this FAQ at:
 ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/new-zealand-faq


  ***        PLEASE DON'T E-MAIL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ME         ***
  ***      E-mailed contributions will NOT be included       ***
  ***    E-mailed requests/questions will NOT be answered    ***
  ***   Replies to this message go back into the newsgroup   ***


I am NOT here to supply information on request or research obscure topics.
I merely compile the information from the newsgroup and add whatever I
think may be useful or relevant.  If you really can't look something up for
yourself, *ask in the newsgroup*!

Like many people in New Zealand (and some other parts of the world) I pay
for my e-mail by volume, both incoming and outgoing.  E-mailing a request
to someone you don't know without an invitation is often NOT appreciated.
I very seldom respond to such mail.  It particularly annoys me to receive
requests for information which is in the faq...

Contributions and comments are welcomed, but PLEASE POST THEM to s.c.n-z so
that others can comment on their accuracy/relevance.  If you quote bits of
the faq for context, please keep it to a minimum.

Thanks.


I correct and amend the FAQ as information and time come to hand and post
it on the tenth of each month.  The subject line on the FAQ and the weekly
reminder will be constant for the convenience of those who wish to killfile
them.

Hopefully this FAQ will reduce the number of requests from people who want
to know all about NZ but can't be bothered finding a NZ embassy or travel
agent or want all replies by mail 'because they don't read this group very
often...'.

My thanks to the contributors (listed at the end of section 2) without whom
I couldn't (and wouldn't) have compiled this.  Please remember that most of
this stuff is quoted so I may not be to blame for factual errors! :-)

===========================================================================

CONTENTS

==============================

INTRODUCTION:  History of soc.culture.new-zealand

==============================

PART A: INFO SOURCES

A1  HOW TO FIND NZers AND INFORMATION ABOUT NZ
    A1.1  On The Net
    A1.2  Elsewhere
        A1.2.1  Overseas Offices of the NZ Tourism Board
        A1.2.2  Traditional sources (libraries, newspapers, etc.)
------------------------------
A2  INFORMATION FOR NZers OVERSEAS
    A2.1  NZ Consulates/Embassies Overseas
    A2.2  How Do I Get News From Home?
    A2.3  Expatriate Organisations?
------------------------------
A3  INTERNET ACCESS WITHIN NZ

==============================

PART B: FACTS AND FIGURES

B1  THE COUNTRY
    B1.1  Where Is NZ?
        B1.1.1  General
        B1.1.2  Statistics
        B1.1.3  Dependencies
        B1.1.4  Time Zones
    B1.2  The Landscape
        B1.2.1  General
        B1.2.2  Miscellaneous Figures
        B1.2.3  Flora and Fauna
        B1.2.4  Climate
------------------------------
B2  THE PEOPLE
    B2.1  A Short History
    B2.2  Maoritanga
        B2.2.1  The Moriori Question
        B2.2.2  Guide to Maori pronunciation
    B2.3  Demography
        B2.3.1  General
        B2.3.2  Major Cities
        B2.3.3  Age Distribution
        B2.3.4  Ethnicity
        B2.3.5  Official Languages
        B2.3.6  Religions
------------------------------
B3  LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND
    B3.1  The Political Scene
        B3.1.1  Why 'New Zealand'
        B3.1.2  Constitution
        B3.1.3  Form of Government
        B3.1.4  The Justice System
        B3.1.5  Organisation Membership
    B3.2  Economy
        B3.2.1  Defence Against Silly Questions
        B3.2.2  Current Status
        B3.2.3  Currency
        B3.2.4  Stockmarket
        B3.2.5  Interest Rates
        B3.2.6  Taxes
        B3.2.7  Miscellaneous Prices
    B3.3  Life In General
        B3.3.1  Business Hours
        B3.3.2  Tipping
        B3.3.3  Cost of Living
            B3.3.3.1  Rent
            B3.3.3.2  Wages
            B3.3.3.3  Transport
            B3.3.3.4  Food
            B3.3.3.5  Consumer goods
        B3.3.4  Crime
        B3.3.5  Finding a job
        B3.3.6  Schools and Education
        B3.3.7  Universities
            B3.3.7.1  Teaching focus
            B3.3.7.2  Addresses
            B3.3.7.3  The University Hierarchy
            B3.3.7.4  Postgrad Study
        B3.3.8  Health
            B3.3.8.1  Water Supply
        B3.3.9  Communications
        B3.3.10  Misc
    B3.4  Holidays
        B3.4.1  National
        B3.4.2  Regional
    B3.5  Technical Stuff
        B3.5.1  Electricity
        B3.5.2  TV info
        B3.5.3  Video Conversion
        B3.5.4  Bringing Computers In
        B3.5.5  Telephone
        B3.5.6  Radio
------------------------------
B4  COMING TO NEW ZEALAND
    B4.1  Travel To NZ
        B4.1.1  Travel Details
        B4.1.2  Agricultural Restrictions
            B4.1.2.1  Animal Quarantine
        B4.1.3  Overseas Embassies in NZ
    B4.2  Immigration Stuff, Points System
        B4.2.1  Assessment for the General Category
        B4.2.2  Employability
        B4.2.3  Work Experience
        B4.2.4  Age
        B4.2.5  Settlement Factors
        B4.2.6  Business Investment Category
        B4.2.7  Importing a Car
------------------------------
B5  TRAVEL WITHIN NZ
    B5.1  Info Sources
        B5.1.1  Tourism Board
        B5.1.2  Maps
    B5.2  Accommodation
        B5.2.1  Youth Hostel Association
        B5.2.2  Backpackers
    B5.3  Transport
        B5.3.1  Cycling/Sea kayaking
        B5.3.2  Hitchhiking
        B5.3.3  Renting a car/campervan
        B5.3.4  Train Services
        B5.3.5  Cook Strait Ferry
        B5.3.6  Coach Travel
        B5.3.7  Driving
        B5.3.8  Commercial Tours
        B5.3.9  Flying
    B5.4  Misc Info
        B5.4.1  Film Developing
------------------------------
B6  MAP OF NEW ZEALAND
------------------------------
B7  CONTRIBUTORS

==============================

PART C: THE SUBJECTIVE BITS

C1  DEFINITION OF 'KIWI'
------------------------------
C2  DESCRIPTIONS OF NZ CITIES
------------------------------
C3  HOLIDAYING IN NZ
    C3.1  Places
        C3.1.1  Parks and Tracks
        C3.1.2  Beaches, etc.
        C3.1.3  Distinctive Features
        C3.1.4  Archaeology/Historical/Heritage Sites
        C3.1.5  Places To Go To
        C3.1.6  Places To Avoid
        C3.1.7  Temporary Attractions
    C3.2  Activities
        C3.2.1  Tramping
        C3.2.2  Skiing
        C3.2.3  Climbing/mountaineering
        C3.2.4  Watersports
        C3.2.5  Whale/Dolphin Watching
        C3.2.6  Pubs To Go To/Nightlife
        C3.2.7  Anything Else????
------------------------------
C4  GENERAL CULTURE
    C4.1  Sport
        C4.1.1  Why do New Zealander Sportspeople Wear Black?
    C4.2  Food
        C4.2.1  What is Vegemite/Marmite?
        C4.2.2  Pavlova recipe
        C4.2.3  The Edmonds Cook Book
        C4.2.4  Laying A Hangi
    C4.3  National Anthems
    C4.4  The Gumboot Song
    C4.5  Some Works by NZ Authors
    C4.6  Other Bits
------------------------------
C5  FAMOUS NEW ZEALANDERS
    C5.1  Cinema
        C5.1.1  Films
        C5.1.2  People
    C5.2  Music
        C5.2.1  Pop/rock bands
        C5.2.2  Blues
        C5.2.3  Country
        C5.2.4  Classical
    C5.3  Literature
    C5.4  Fine Art
    C5.5  Humour
    C5.6  Other...

===========================================================================

INTRODUCTION:  History of soc.culture.new-zealand

The only record I have of the history of soc.culture.new-zealand is this
copy of the CFD, kindly passed on through various people.  It appears the
archives of the original material may have been lost, and as this is a
repost (of sorts) I'm not sure how any of the details relate to the
original.

----------

Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,soc.culture.australian,
 soc.culture.british,soc.culture.celtic,soc.culture.misc,nz.general
From: gcwillia@daisy.waterloo.edu (Graeme Williams)
Subject: CFD:  soc.culture.new-zealand
Date: 25 Feb 91 04:41:44 GMT
[ I have the rest of the header if it'd be useful ]

Z*******Z******* CFD:   A New Zealand culture group   *******Z*******Z

This is a call for a discussion regarding the creation of a new
newsgroup devoted to "New Zealand culture". Here is what I propose:

NAME:  This will need to be decided on, several suggestions are:

  soc.culture.newzealand
  soc.culture.aoteoroa
  soc.culture.kiwi
  soc.culture.nz

MODERATION STATUS:  The group would be unmoderated.

CHARTER:

 The group will provide a forum for discussion of topics
 related to New Zealand. In particular such things as:

  News, politics, Maori and Pacific Island culture, music, sport,
  events, films, telly, jobs, farming, the enviroment, economics,
  tourism, places to see, trade, education, bungy jumping, pavlovas,
  the Goodnight Kiwi and Wal and the dog in Footrot Flats.

 In short anything and everything Kiwi, or related to NZ.

 Contributions and queries from people other than New Zealanders
 will also be most welcome.

COMMENTS:

 I have had rather a lot of positive feedback via email regarding
 the creation of this group, some very enthusiastic. What I would
 like to see now is some discussion on the net amongst the various
 people interested. In particular we will need to decide on a name
 for the group.

 I have set the Followup-to: field to news.groups so all discussion
 regarding this proposal should take place there.

 So, if you're interested and don't subscribe to news.groups, SUBSCRIBE
 to it NOW! I want to hear publicly from all you Kiwis (and others
 interested) scattered few and far between all over the globe. Shake
 off the traditional Kiwi apathy cos "she'll be right" won't work
 here on the net. Get those fingers typing and tell us what you think.

Cheers,

Graeme Williams - a Kiwi in Canada
gcwillia@daisy.waterloo.edu

----------

That's it.  Any comments or contributions to this introduction would be
appreciated.  Please post as usual...

===========================================================================

PART A