'New Zealand Maid' by Ian Dougherty (Saddle Hill Press, 2026) out now!

By Saddle Hill Press | Posted: Wednesday Jun 10, 2026

Prolific Dunedin author Ian Dougherty has turned his attention to the feats of a long-distance walker in his latest book: New Zealand Maid: Esther James And Her Campaigning New Zealand And Australian Walks During The Great Depression.

New Zealand Maid tells the story of Esther James’s unprecedented walk the length of New Zealand in 1931-2 – wearing only New Zealand-made clothes and eating only New Zealand-produced food – to promote local products during the Great Depression; and from Melbourne to Brisbane in 1932-3 to publicise New Zealand tourist attractions.

Ian says that every stage of her progress in New Zealand was followed by newspapers and fledgling radio stations, and devoured by the public. Bands played her into cities and towns, which feted her with official welcomes, civic receptions, dances and socials. Reporters bombarded her with questions. Autograph hunters thrust pens and paper at her. Poets waxed lyrical about her. She fast became a celebrity. He says it was part distraction, part inspiration, and part symbol of people’s aspiring progress out of the economic and social gloom.

Esther James walked into Dunedin in late May 1932, during a Come to Dunedin Week of festivities billed as a ‘war on gloom’ and held in conjunction with the annual Winter Show. This followed a ‘Made in New Zealand’ week during which appropriate displays had been arranged in 437 shop windows in the city. James agreed to extend her stay in the city to four days, and to take part in as many festival activities as she could. The visiting celebrity became one of the week’s star attractions.

The mayor, Robert Black, conferred on her the freedom of the city. Doing nothing to dispel the stereotype of a city founded mainly by canny Scots, he pinned a leather medal on her chest and told her: ‘This entitles you to walk as far as you please on our pavements, breathe as much as you want of our good fresh air, and drink as much as you want of our pure water – and all for nothing.’

New Zealand Maid – Ian’s 33rd New Zealand non-fiction book – is published by Saddle Hill Press. The heavily-illustrated book is available from bookshops and from the publisher, Saddle Hill Press, PO Box 90, Dunedin 9054, saddlehillpress@xtra.co.nz for $40 post free.