"THE UNITED TRIBES”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22713, 28 October 1935, Page 10

"THE UNITED TRIBES”

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ONE-HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY EARLY NEW ZEALAND HISTORY |(Fbom Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 26. Monday will mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the decla-alion of independence by the northern chiefs of New Zealand —one of the steps that led to the establishment of British sovereignty in this country. Although the centenary of New Zealand as a separate colony will not be celebrated until 1940, the signing of the declaration was referred to to-day by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Sir Alexander Young, who stated that the original copy of the declaration was one of the treasures of his department, and he was having it suitably prepared for public exhibition in the near future. Sir Alexander stated that in more favourable times it might be possible for the department to issue publications dealing with the early history of New Zealand. Pending that he thought a display of some of the original documents of the early days would prove of general interest. He had made a selection of the documents which were essentially museum pieces, some of them beautiful examples of pencraft of a century ago, and he hoped to have them ready for exhibition within a few weeks. The declaration of independence actually represented the effort of a British resident, Mr James Busby, to forestall the attempt of Baron Charles de Thierry to establish himself as “ Sovereign chief of New Zealand.” Mr Busby summoned a meeting of northern chiefs at Waitangi and there a declaration was signed affirming the independence of the tribes and asking the King of England to become “ Protector of their infant State.” The declaration was signed by 35 of the hereditary chiefs or heads of tribes in the presence of Mr Busby, the Rev. Henry (afterwards archdeacon) Williams, Mr George Clarke, of the Church Missionary Society (afterwards chief protector of the aborigines), Mr James E. Clendon, assistant British Resident at Hokianga, and Mr Gilbert Mair, merchant, of Kororareka. The signatures, or marks of other chiefs, were added later, among them being those of the celebrated Tamati Waka Nene, his brother Patuone te Hapuku (of Hawke’s Bay), and Te Wherowhero Potatau (Ariki of the Waikato tribes). The translation of the original declaration is as follows: — We, the hereditary chiefs and heads of the tribes of the northern parts of New Zealand, being assembled at Waitangi, in the Bay of Islands, declare the independence of our country, which is hereby constituted and declared to be an independent State under the designation’of the United Tribes of New Zealand. All sovereign power and authority within the territories of the United Tribes of New Zealand is hereby declared to reside entirely and exclusively in the hereditary chiefs and heads of the tribes in their collective capacity, who also declare that they will not permit any legislative authority separate from themselves in their collective capacity to exist, nor any function of Government to be exercised within the said * territories unless by persons appointed by them and acting under the authority of the laws regularly enacted by them in congress assembled. The hereditary chiefs and heads of tribes agree to meet in congress at Waitangi in the autumn of each year for the purpose of framing laws for the dispensation of justice, the preservation of peace and good order and the regulation of trade, and they cordially invite the southern tribes to lay aside their private animosities and to consult the safety and welfare of our common country by joining the confederation of the United Tribes., They also agree to send a copy of this declaration to his Majesty the King of England, to thank him for his acknowledgment of their flag, and in return for the friendship and protection they have shown and are prepared to show to such of his subjects as have settled in their country or resorted to its shores for the purpose of. trade, they entreat that he will continue to be the parent of their infant State and that he will become its protector from all attempts upon its independence.” The translation of the declaration was duly forwarded by Mr Busby to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The somewhat ambitious resolutions it contained were found, however, to be impracticable, and nothing further resulted from the movement. In no other autumn iras any further political demonstration held under the terms of the declaration, but, nevertheless, the document is one of definite importance in the history of the Dominion.