TREATY OF WAITANGI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12776, 21 October 1919, Page 6

TREATY OF WAITANGI.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —With the demise of Canon Slack it is probable that the last witness of the signing cf the great Treaty of Waitangi—one of the most unique treaties ever entered into between nations —has passed away. The Canon m iv„ how. as a boy, he was present on mat day in February, lb 10. •Standing almost on the verandah ot tho heu.se of -Jr Bushhy. the English resident at the Bay of Islands, ho saw Lieit, nant-Gnvemor Hobson. Captain Via.?, and officers of H.M.S. Herald, Mr Henry Williams, the interpreter, -Mr Clarke, Protector of the Aborigines, and the Rev Richard Tavlor, M.A.. one of the missionaries. Canon Slack saw the arrived of the Maoris in their original native mats, squatting about discussing the events which had brought them together—events that have been fraught with so much importance <-n the welfare and advancement of Xew Z aland- Canon Stack’s father’s name is attached to the documents forming the treaty of the chiefs of the confederation of the united tribes of New Zealand and the British Government, whereby the country was ceded to the sovereignty of England without a shot being fired to obtain it by conquest. Those who. like Canon Stack, taw tho flagstaff and the flag hauled up :nd saluted by tho few Englishmen and the large concourse of Maoris, had they been with us to tell tho story, how interesting it could he made! There is, it is stated,- a prospect that Canon Stack in his later years may have <-omnjeted a st-mv of early Xew Zealand for his grandchildren, and probably in ilie absence of tho hooks which have gone out of print detailing the particulars of the signing of the Waitangi Treaty may assist in preserving to posterity an interesting record.—l nm .etc., J.L.W.