In the 1890s, Croatian migrants relocated to Auckland from other parts of New Zealand, driven by prejudice that forced them to leave the Kauri gumfields.
There are a large number of so-called “Austrians” now in the Auckland Province — quite three thousand in number—and all are industrious workers, each producing something towards our total exports required for the payment of Government expenses and the interest upon our National Debt.Among all this large number of healthy working people there are very few who can make themselves understood in English; and even the few who have some knowledge of that language can express themselves very indifferently in it, and have no means of knowing the current news of the day, or to become acquainted with the views and actions of our public men.
[3] On 23 May 1899, a social gathering was held amongst Auckland's Croatian community to celebrate the inauguration of Bratska Sloga.
[4] The Austrian Consul to New Zealand was present, and stated— As the 'Bratska Sloga', will be printed in the Croatian and English languages; I hope it will bring you in closer contact with the English, and promote peace and good the so widely different nationalities.Bulat financially struggled with the newspaper from the beginning, relying on a small subscriber base.
[6] The libel suit concerned statements published in Bratska Sloga referring to Šegetin as a donkey and to his "wild life and his loafing about the streets of Auckland.