The manner of the settlement of New Zealand up to the middle of the nineteenth century, and the pattern of migration which it has since pursued, has resulted in the creation of a nation in which the dominant pakeha group is homogenous and strongly British. The Maoris, decimated by the diseases which the settlers brought with them, and defeated in the struggles to hold on to their land, have only since the middle of this century begun to grow again in numbers. With the increase in immigration of South Pacific islanders, the non-pakeha group is again a significant presence in New Zealand.