Page 49 Advertisements Column 1

Press, 13 December 1989, Page 49

W®7 Without the Treaty of Waitangi, th ere would be no New Zealand “In 1840 a pact was signed with good and true intent. And that was the people and help control the enormous flow of expected migrants, the British beginning of a nation called New Zealand.” Government decided New Zealand should become a British colony. Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the Maori Queen British naval captain, William Hobson, was sent to negotiate with the Maori From the arrival of the great canoes and the visits of Tasman and Cook, until for the sovereignty of New Zealand. His instructions from the Crown were specific: the signing of the Treaty in 1840, New Zealand was very much an independent “The Queen, in common with Her Majesty’s immediate predecessor, country - a country that many were interested in claiming as their own. disclaims, for herself and for her subjects, every pretension to seize on the islands The South Pacific was a lucrative hunting ground for British, American and of New Zealand, or to govern them as part of the dominion of Great Britain, unless French whalers, and our shores were an attractive stopover for them. After the f ree an d intelligent consent of the natives, expressed according to their foundation of Marsden’s missionary settlement in 1814, ships began to visit the established usages, shall be first obtained.” northern parts of New Zealand more regularly. Six months after Hobson’s instructions were received, the Treaty of Waitangi By the 1830’s the Maori of that region had a considerable relationship with was signed and the foundations of a new nation were set in place, the whalers - trading timber, flax and food supplies. As our founding document, the Treaty continues today as a pact of partnerAlthough Britain “ruled” the seas during these years, it had no ship between Maori and Pakeha. It is the basis for our on-going links with the responsibilities to protect New Zealand, and both Maori and settlers were Crown; and continues to act as a national symbol of unity and understanding becoming increasingly nervous about French intentions in the South Pacific. Tahiti between cultures, was close to becoming a French colony and New Zealand didn’t want to follow For New Zealand 1990, the 150th anniversary of the Treaty, it is particularly in its footsteps. ' appropriate that we all take the opportunity to understand the original spirit in After a direct request for protection from both Maori and Pakeha groups, which the Treaty was signed, and to consider our role in the partnership between Britain appointed its first British Resident in New Zealand in 1833, thereby our cultures, now and in the future. establishing the first formal relationship with the Crown. “The principles of the Treaty are not diminished by time, rather it takes time Over the next few years, many attempts were made on behalf of Britain to to perfect them.” discourage foreign interests and develop a more permanent partnership between chief judge Eddie Dune Maori and settlers. Not one was successful. If you’d like more information about the Treaty of Waitangi please fill in the To create a stable environment that would protect the rights of the Maori coupon below. IK I N I ’ilk I / 'aw. ' > c"; z j z '^ v '' . ' • z " ■ ■' : . W' 7 " '.A'-' ■; • '.. •. • • j,/ ': ' • •.' \ ■ —- "• u''" 9 ' <V'<jH A m Kir a al 1 ' w i.. m ■■ " ■ "fl W M-- v ifl wf- ' >?,< W fl" Wf " . ■'■ ■ . . ■■< ■ -• X / - ' H flfla: a.u . -AtXy/ / / ' ■ -'■• ’ ' ‘T HHB flwff ‘ // / / ' ■ ... ... ZZvZ y ■■ - Z <A°' XX'/' XZwm. ■ * • ”••■■■ ‘ '■■ . a BflflsSfljjgte#/?* XX z/ X z ■ A XX Z / ..... J. • f - •. -Z-.'. : . . ■ ..yz. .. ... „■ :Z ■Z■ . y -...-. .. \ - ■ ........V ..:••• ( .