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Ngā ture whakamahi
Terms of use

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Archives.govt.nz is the official website of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga.

The use of this website is subject to agreement to the following terms of use. These terms apply to all content on this website, to any web feeds produced by the website and to any feedback or submissions provided through the website. Archives New Zealand may update these terms of use at any time by posting changes online. You are responsible for reviewing the amended terms of use, and your continued use of this website constitutes your agreement to the amended terms of use.

Reproduction quality

The quality of a reproduction or copy of an item held by Archives New Zealand depends on the condition of the original. For example, where the original is damaged or faded, we don’t guarantee the legibility of any copy provided. Archives New Zealand will make the best copy we are able to.

Due to the risk of damage, it may not have been possible to copy some records if:

  • their condition was fragile

  • pages were bound together like a book

  • they were larger than A3 (297 x 420 mm)

Privacy Act 2020

See information about Archives New Zealand's Privacy policy.

Payment terms for Archives New Zealand services

Archives New Zealand offers some fee-based services such as researching and making copies of items held by us. Fees for these services:

  • must be paid in advance of any work being undertaken

  • must be paid regardless of the success or otherwise of the research

  • are GST inclusive for New Zealand residents

  • for non-residents, payment is expected in New Zealand dollars exclusive of GST

  • can be made by credit card (credit card details are not kept after the charge has been processed)

  • subsequent charges will require resubmission of credit card details

  • may change at any time

We can’t accept cash sent in the post for services that we provide.

Refund policy

Archives New Zealand will provide a refund if:

  • it is clear when the request is assessed prior to carrying out any research that we will not be able to provide the record or information that you need

  • a client has received an inadequate level of service. This decision is made on a case by case basis

  • a client pays for a search for an item that is listed on Collections search, but can not be found.

  • a client has overpaid for a service

Security and damage

All network and application activity associated with this website is logged.

Should any activity be recorded which is indicative of an attempt to breach the security, cause damage, or other misuse of this website, you may be liable for prosecution under the ‘misuse of computers’ amendments to the Crimes Act 1961, or other applicable legislation.

Archives New Zealand retains the right to deny, block or otherwise remove access and services, should any activity be detected which is indicative of any attempt to breach security or otherwise cause damage to the website, data or other linked resources.

You are responsible for ensuring that your own computer is secure, including taking all reasonable steps to:

  • prevent someone from misusing or getting unauthorised access to your computer system or to this website or our online services

  • ensure your computer system and data are free of computer viruses and all other forms of corruption.

Disclaimer

Our archives contain content that was not produced by Archives New Zealand. We are not responsible for such third party content and we do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within the records. We accept no liability or responsibility for the manner of reuse of public records or public content, including the way it is interpreted or the results of such reuse.

To help website users find related information, we provide links and references to third-party websites. These links are provided for convenience and for information purposes only. For these links, we:

  • cannot guarantee that they will work all of the time

  • have no control over the availability of linked pages

  • cannot accept responsibility for the content or reliability of other websites

Archives New Zealand does not endorse or approve expressly or implicitly any website, organisation or people who have off-site links to this website.

We make no warranty, express or implied:

  • that our website or server are free of computer viruses or any other harmful components, defects or errors

  • that any defects in the website will be corrected

  • that your access to the website will be reliable, uninterrupted or error-free including access to any linked websites

  • and assume no liability or responsibility in relation to the above.

Sensitive material

Archives New Zealand users should be aware that certain words, terms or descriptions contained in our public records or historical references may be culturally sensitive and may be considered inappropriate today. They may have reflected the author or creators attitude or the language used in the period of which they were written.

We have endeavoured to make this website accessible to all New Zealanders and consequently this impacts the way images may display when accessibility functions are applied. We acknowledge the cultural sensitivities when photo images are altered that unintentionally crops the heads of people. The head is sacred or tapu according to a te ao Māori worldview and we have strived to ensure that this does not impact the primary user experience.