ðɪ ɛnsˌaɪkləpˈiːdiə ɪz mˈoːɹ kˌɑːmpɹihˈɛnsɪv, ænd mˈoːɹ ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪv ʌv maɪnˈɔːɹᵻɾiz, ðɐn pɹˈiːviəs nˈuː zˈiːlənd ɹˈɛfɹəns wˈɜːks, sˈʌtʃ ɐz ðə vˈænᵻɾi pɹˈɛs ðə sˌaɪkloʊpˈiːdiə ʌv nˈuː zˈiːlənd pˈʌblɪʃt ɚɹˈaʊnd sˈɪksti jˈɪɹz ˈɜːlɪɚ, bˌʌt nˌɑːt æz ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪv æz ðə lˈeɪɾɚ dˈɪkʃənˌɛɹi ʌv nˈuː zˈiːlənd baɪˈɑːɡɹəfi.
The encyclopaedia is more comprehensive, and more representative of minorities, than previous New Zealand reference works, such as the vanity press The Cyclopedia of New Zealand published around sixty years earlier, but not as representative as the later Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.