Originally published during the early part of the twentieth century, the Cambridge Manuals of Science and Literature were designed to provide concise introductions to a broad range of topics. They were written by experts for the general reader and combined a comprehensive approach to knowledge with an emphasis on accessibility. New Zealand by Robert Stout and J. Logan Stout was first published in 1911. The book contains information on New Zealand's social and political character, together with an account of its historical development.