Edited by Alexander Hare McLintock, the parliamentary historian, assisted by two others, the encyclopaedia included over 1,800 articles and 900 biographies, written by 359 contributing authors.

After the last 3,000 copies sold, it was never reprinted, more due to the non-commercial priorities of the government-run printing office than any lack of demand or interest from the general public.

[2] The encyclopaedia was well received by scholars and teachers, and is still regarded as an important New Zealand reference work, even considering its errors and omissions, and the biases of its time.

Jock Phillips, writing in 2003 about his editorship of its successor Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, considers it an "illustrious predecessor" and describes it as even now, a most impressive work.

[3] The text and images have been made available, without corrections or updates, as a separate resource within Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.