Twelve percent of a sample of New Zealand Europeans were found to have variant forms of alpha-1-antitrypsin. The distribution of different variants was similar to that found in other Northern European populations. Four percent were heterozygotes for the deficiency state (Z allele) which predisposes to both emphysema and cirrhosis. An initial survey of New Zealand Maoris suggests that although they have a lower overall incidence of variants, there is an increased frequency of the deficiency Z allele. This may be a contributory factor to the susceptibility of the Maori to respiratory and liver disease.