BUSBY AS DIPLOMAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22262, 9 November 1935, Page 1 (Supplement)

BUSBY AS DIPLOMAT

PREPARING A WAY

BY MATANGA

The Maori chiefs' Declaration of Independence, an English translation of which was on ii:s way to a British Secretary of State a, hundred years ago, was a remarkable document. In form it continues to be interesting. It is written in Maori, employing some words, such as "Kingitanga" and "Kawanatanga," that were probably invented for the purpose. In comparison, tiio petition of some of the samo chiefs to William IV'. 111 lbal lor lus guannan lrieuusnip was a simple and unsophisticated alfair. But at that time thero was no British Resident and little thought of national interest in theso islands. Busby came in 1833, without predecessor or successor in tho office —Lieutenant MacDonnell at Hokianga being an " additional " British Resident trom 1835 and international business was largely left by tfie missionaries to take care of itself. They inspired and worded that earlier plea for protection. Busby was behind this move, and ho gave it an appearance of diplomatic dignity. He was quite right in this. Although Sir George Gipps, Governor of New South Wales, thought no better of it than " a silly as well as an unauthorised act- —a paper pellet fired off at tho Baron de Thierry," Lord Glenelg's acknowledgment was guardedly cordial, in keeping with tho fact that New Zealand was not under British sovereignty but might advantageously become so. Tho terms of the Declaration (given on this page last week) are therefore important. Even if nothing came of the idea of a Congress to be held at Waitangi "in the autumn of each year" and tho Confederation of tho United Tribes was more an ideal than a reality, the main puroose was useful and eventually justified. To return to the document itself, which in a fairly satisfactory state of preservation is now in the custody of our Department of Internal Affairs, its signatures attract notico. It is customary to say that there are thirtv-fivo of them. To say thirty-four has better warrant. Thirty-four names, at all events, aro in a column on the left at the foot of the declaration, while alone on the riiht. near the signatures of the English witnesses, is " Eruern Pare te kai tuhituhi " —that is, " Edward Pare, the writer." Tho body of the document is certainlv in his band, as are the names in column of the other thirty-four. Presumably a Maori of prolonged missionary training, he was entrusted with the manual prenaration of tho document wb''e t' ,n conference was in progress on that 2Sth October, and he made an excellent iob of it. The Signatures That ho should proudly subscribe it, in a corner by himself, " Eruera Pare to kai tuhituhi," was quite natural. No doubt he had seen many a list and record so attested by missionary penmen, also the pictures that had similar assertions of artistic origin. Until it can be proved that this capable Edward was m chieftainly control of a tribe or subtribe he must be honoured rather as a very skilful wielder of tho goose-quill, si distinction of transcendent merit in Maori eyes then. Who are the thirty-four " confederates " whose names Eruera Pare has set in array? The mere list savs much to folk familiar with the story of earlier New Zealand. It includes many famous chiefs, and their aggregate territory is a considerable tract in the northernmost' region of the island. A few of them —Hare Hongi, Kekeae, Te Peka and Hone Hekc —could write, and did so against their names as already placed by "te kai tuhituhi." The rest made "marks" in their respective places—half a dozen or so adopting tho cross-symbol of much British attestation and tho others attaching signs more or less weird that.may or may not be part of the pattern of their face tattoo. Last in the list is Hone Heke —he was to be first on the Treaty of Waitangi—and Eruera put "Hoane Wiremn Heke." Heke wrote, however, "Hone Wiremu." Years were to pass before ho broke vrith pakeha rule and abandoned tho baptismal "Williams" that so often reminded him of his glad service in the home of tho head of the mission. Additional Names Titore, Kawiti, Pumuka, Pomare, Te Kamara, Rewa and others whoso names were soon to spell trouble put their marks on this Busby pukapuka, but that day they were for peace as they conferred .with the British Resident about the fear of a French invasion. Other days of the kind were to follow, for tho Declaration was like tho Treaty in that it gathered signatures farther afield after the first acceptance. So came the entry of Tamati Waaka Nene to the' Confederation, signing a bold "Nene" at the head of these recruits. Patuone, his elder brother, and Nopera Panakareao, of fame at Kaitaia, and Tirarau, of the latecomers among tho Treaty men, and Te Whcrowhero, who would not be among them at all, aro all in the additional eighteen bent on unity. Altogether tne list, as it is seen growing from October of 1835 to July of 1839, is impressive. But what came of Busby's venture in international politics? In New South Wales the whole thing had scarcely courteous notice, as can be judged from tho rap over the knuckles Governor Gipps gave Busby. Lord Glenelg's reply, sent through New South Wales, for the British Government, was better:

With reference to the desire which the chiefs havo expressed 011 this occasion, to maintain u good understanding with TTis Majesty's subjects, it will be proper thnt they be assured, in His Majesty's name, that he will not fail to avail himself of every opportunity of showing his goodwill, and of affording to these chiefs such support and protection as may be consistent with a due regard to others and to the interests of Ilia Majesty's subjects. The Confederation achieved nothing in the way of a Maori Congress. Difficulties were too great, both in the welding of tribes traditionally at odds and in the restraint of lawlessness among British settlers and seamen. The gesture of independence was somewhat empty. Yet in both directions the way was prepared for the signal achievement of Hobson in jB-10. Eventual Outcome Tho British Resident, as indeed "a man-o'-war without guns," had no recourse but to some such devico when faced with the possibility of a French bid for sovereignty. He instilled in the Maori mind, as far as he could, a desire for British protection, and ho drew eminent chiefs together. So, at last, tho Treaty proposal was addressed first to "chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand," and in the negotiations they had a central place, Busby saw fruit for his labours. Ho had provided a useful fulcrum for Hobson's lever, and could go out of offico with a recollection of duty done. . . , Scant justice has been done him in most surveys of tho period. Jibes at his impotence were common then, and the "man-o'-war" joke had currency so early that nobody knows when and where it originated. Used as a reflection on him, it is utterly pointless ; as a sympathetic description of his plight, it is wholly apt. The possibility of supporting him with armed force was discussed at tho time of his appointment. Only one conclusion was constitutionally logical and legal. It meant that he had to risk attacks on his life. They were made. But he stuck to his post manfully and left it with more honour than ignorant critics acknowledge.