Until 1911, New Zealand used the same royal coat of arms as the United Kingdom. The provinces of New Zealand used their own arms. With the evolution of New Zealand self-government, especially the granting of dominion status in 1907, it was decided that a new coat of arms was required. An official competition held in 1908 received 78 designs. The winning entry was a design by James McDonald, a draughtsman in the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts. Some minor adjustments were made to the design and the arms were granted by Royal Warrant of King George V on 26 August 1911. The warrant was published in the New Zealand Gazette of 11 January 1912. The central shield has remained unaltered since 1911. It comprises a quartered shield containing in the first quarter four stars representing the Southern Cross constellation ; in the second quarter, a golden fleece; in the third, a wheat sheaf; and in the fourth, two hammers. Overall this is a pale—a broad vertical strip—with three ships representing the importance of maritime trade and "recalling the 19th-century settlement of the country by European migrants".
1956 redesign
In the original design, the crest was a demi-lion holding the Union Flag, and the scroll at the shield's base featured the then motto of the country, "Onward". Although the Royal Warrant specified the design of the coat of arms, by the mid-1940s at least 20 variants were in use. One month prior to New Zealand's adoption of the Statute of Westminster on 25 September 1947, a special committee was formed by then Prime Minister Peter Fraser. Responsible for the "redrawing and standardisation of the Coat of Arms", the committee consisted of Alister McIntosh, Joe Heenan, Colin Aikman, Frank Corner, Foss Shanahan and Professor John Cawte Beaglehole. One of the committee's concerns was that the female supporter looked too much like a "Soviet heroine". Following the election of the First National Government in 1949, the new Attorney-General, Jack Marshall took up responsibility for the committee. Marshall requested the woman to be re-drawn based on the likeness of Grace Kelly, a favourite actress of his. Queen Elizabeth II approved a revised version in 1956. That design is still in use today.
Symbolism
The coat of arms depicts a shield with four quadrants divided by a central "pale":
The first quadrant depicts the four stars on the national flag, representing the asterism within the constellation of Crux; the second quadrant depicts a golden fleece, representing the nation's farming industry; the third depicts a sheaf of wheat for agriculture; and the fourth quadrant depicts crossed hammers for mining.
The pale depicts three ships, representing the importance of sea trade, and the immigrant nature of all New Zealanders.
* The female figure is said to be a depiction of Zealandia, a common national personification of New Zealand during the first half of the 20th century. It also broadly represents all "non-indigenous citizens of the country".
The shield is surmounted by a rendition of St. Edward's Crown, which has been used in the coronations of New Zealand's monarchs. The Crown also represents New Zealand's historic ties to the United Kingdom.
Below is a scroll with "New Zealand" on it, behind which are two fern branches, representing the native vegetation.
Status and uses
None of New Zealand's national symbols—the flag, the anthem and the coat of arms—are mentioned in the Constitution Act 1986. The official use of the coat of arms was mandated by Royal Warrant in 1911. The use of state, royal, and viceregal emblems is also protected by the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981. The arms are a symbol of national sovereignty. As such, official usage of the coat of arms is restricted to New Zealand Government. The symbol is used as a mark of authority by various government agencies and representatives, including the prime minister and Cabinet, and most courts, including the Supreme Court. The coat of arms also feature on all Acts of Parliament; and on the cover of the New Zealand passport, alongside the silver fern, another popular symbol of New Zealand. Since 1962, a banner of the arms, defaced with a royal symbol, has formed the sovereign's personal flag for New Zealand, for use by the Queen in her capacity as monarch of New Zealand. The flag of the governor-general of New Zealand has, since 2008, featured the shield of the arms on a blue background. On a few occasions—such as royal visits or jubilee celebrations—individuals and private organisations can display the coat of arms temporarily. It can only be used or published with the permission of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
