In my PhD thesis I examine the transfer and circulation of knowledge between New Zealand and Britain in the early 19th century as a part of the debates on colonising New Zealand, especially focusing on the formation of competing knowledge claims in this communication. This research relates to matters such as mechanisms of transfer of information, participation and connections of various actors in the transfer of information, utilisation of knowledge for political agendas, and the European thought on indigenous peoples in the 19th century. I am especially interested in colonial ideas on the level of civilisation of indigenous peoples and their capacity to "improve", humanitarian perspectives to indigenous peoples, and the agency of the indigenous peoples.