The coat of arms of New Zealand () is the heraldic symbol representing the South Pacific island country of New Zealand. Its design reflects New Zealand's history as a bicultural nation, with a European female figure on one side and a Māori rangatira (chief) on the other. The symbols on the central shield represent New Zealand's trade, agriculture and industry, and a Crown represents New Zealand's status as a constitutional monarchy. The initial coat of arms was granted by warrant of King George V on 26 August 1911, and the current version was granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956. While the use of the coat of arms is restricted to the New Zealand Government, the symbol enjoys wide use on state decorations; it appears on the uniform of the police and is on the cover of the national passport. History Until 1911, New Zealand used the same royal coat of arms as the United Kingdom. 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 (as depicted on the national flag, but with the stars in different proportions); in the second quarter, a golden fleece; in the third, a wheat sheaf; and in the fourth, two hammers (see § Symbolism). Over all 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 (the upper half of a rampant 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