McKegg, '"Ministering Angels": The Government
Backblock Nursing Service and the Maori Health Nurses, 1909- -1939,' Masters thesis, University of Auckland, 1991; Anne McKillop, 'Native Health Nursing in New Zealand 1911-1930: A New Work and a New Profession for Women', Masters thesis, Massey University, 1998).
Those
backblock stories which we now like to think are so drenched with an atmosphere that is, to take Curnow's phrase, 'recognizably New Zealand', have settings where historically one would have heard a mix of Cockney and other English accents, as well as Australian and local-born.
A recent exhibition is From the
backblock to the frontlines: celebrating Italian settlement in south west Sydney.
In 1912 a Dr Frazerhurst, who was based at Whangarei Hospital, decided that all "
backblock" women should come to a central.
The creation of novel land rights for Aboriginals--for no such rights existed at common law before the Mabo decision--so that those Aboriginals are encouraged to remain in primitive
backblock settlements can hardly be regarded as useful.
She has also developed a BackBlock to help stiffness.
BackBlocks are available for about pounds 30 but a cheaper homemade substitute is to lie over a five centimetre stack of books.
Paul and Brenda Marshall are
backblock farmers, and members of a rigid fundamentalist sect called the 'Seed of Life'.