THE TREATY OF WAITANGI
Her Majesty Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland regarding with Her Royal Favour the Native Chiefs and Tribes of New
Zealand and anxious to protect their just Rights and Property and to secure to
them the enjoyment of Peace and Good Order has deemed it necessary in
consequence of the great number of Her Majesty's Subjects who have already
settled in New Zealand and the rapid extension of Emigration both from Europe
and Australia which is still in progress to constitute and appoint a functionary
properly authorised to treat with the Aborigines of New Zealand for the
recognition of Her Majesty's sovereign authority over the whole or any part of
those islands - Her Majesty therefore being desirous to establish a settled form
of Civil Government with a view to avert the evil consequences which must result
from the absence of the necessary Laws and Institutions alike to the native
population and to Her subjects has been graciously pleased to empower and to
authorise me William Hobson a Captain in Her Majesty's Royal Navy Consul and I,
Lieutenant Governor of such parts of New Zealand as may be or hereafter shall be
ceded to Her Majesty to invite the confederated and independent Chiefs of New
Zealand to concur in the following Articles and Conditions.
Article the
first
The Chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand
and the separate and independent Chiefs who have not become members of the
Confederation cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without
reservation all the rights and powers of Sovereignty which the said
Confederation of Individual Chiefs respectively exercise or possess, or may be
supposed to exercise or to possess over their respective Territories as the sole
sovereigns thereof.
Article the second
Her Majesty the Queen of
England confirms and guarantees to the Chiefs and Tribes of New Zealand and to
the respective families and individuals thereof the full exclusive and
undisturbed possession of their Lands and Estates Forests Fisheries and other
properties which they may collectively or individually possess so long as it is
their wish and desire to retain the same in their possession; but the Chiefs of
the United Tribes and the individual Chiefs yield to Her Majesty the exclusive
right of Preemption over such lands as the proprietors thereof may be disposed
to alienate at such prices as may be agreed upon between the respective
Proprietors and persons appointed by Her Majesty to treat with them in that
behalf.
Article the third
In consideration thereof Her Majesty the
Queen of England extends to the Natives of New Zealand Her royal protection and
imparts to them all the Rights and Privileges of British
Subjects.
[signed] W. Hobson Lieutenant Governor
Now
therefore We the Chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand
being assembled in Congress at Victoria in Waitangi and We the Separate and
Independent Chiefs of New Zealand claiming authority over the Tribes and
Territories which are specified after our respective names, having been made
fully to understand the Provisions of the foregoing Treaty, accept and enter
into the same in the full spirit and meaning thereof in witness of which we have
attached our signatures or marks at the places and the dates respectively
specified
Done at Waitangi this Sixth day of February in the year of our
lord once thousand eight hundred and forty.
The Chiefs of the
Confederation
[This English treaty text was signed at Waikato Heads in March
or April 1840 and at Manukau harbour on 26 April. A total of 39 chiefs signed.
The text became the 'official'
version.]