New Zealand was originally populated by Maoris, who arrived there from various Pacific islands between 900 and 1300 AD., the last wave came from Tahiti.  After Captain Cook had claimed possession of New Zealand for Gt Britain in 1769,  there were sporadic European and Australian missionary and whaling settlements in the Bay of Islands, but no official British presence. New Zealand is a very young country from a musical point of view, as it only formally became a British colony in 1840

However, the post 1840 population were enthusiastic music-lovers, with choral societies, brass bands, an established music-teaching body, and many sheet music shops.

Alfred Hill was born in Melbourne, Australia, and studied in Leipzig, Germany, but was resident in New Zealand for many years. He took an interest in Maori music, and wrote an opera Tapu, based on Maori culture.