Francophobia in the Antipodes: France’s Grab for the New Hebrides and the Dreyfus Affair in New Zealand Newspapers

Abstract

This article explores the Francophobia which characterised the coverage in late nineteenth-century New Zealand newspapers of, firstly, France’s attempt to annex the New Hebrides and, secondly, the Dreyfus Affair. The intensity of the Francophobia suggests a French influence in the shaping of New Zealand’s national identity and further illuminates the dual national identity (British and New Zealand) pertaining in New Zealand at the time. The New Hebrides incident provides an example of how this double allegiance played out.