TREATY OF WAITANGI

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 315, 31 August 1932, Page 7

TREATY OF WAITANGI

CONFUSION AS TO NAME OF FIRST CHIEF TO SIGN.

The signatures of the Maori chiefs appended to the Treaty of Waitangi present puzzles to students of th'at historic doeument. Some light was shed on the suhject by Mr. T. Lindsay Buick when lecturing at Wellington on the Treaty.

In connection with the signatures actually affixed, said Mr. Buick, a point of doubt had arisen which was curious rather than important, and that was as to which chief was the first to sign the doeument. Messrs. Colenso, Williams, and T'aylor, all of whom were present, had left it on record that the first to sign was Hone Heke, and there was little doubt as to the aceuracy of this statement. But confusion had subsequently arisen because the signature of a chief named Pokai had been attributed to Hone Heke. The signature which should properly be Hone Heke's had been attributed to a chief named Kiore Heke. The result of this confusion was that the chief who is said first to have signed the Treaty, . and whose name should therefore appear at the head of the list, seemed to appear 66th on the list. Tbe fourth name on the list, Mr. Buick maintained wh'en examined under a strong magnif^ing glass, revealed itself as that of Hone Heke and not of Kiore Heke. But that was not all the mystery, for if Heke was the first to sign the Treaty how did it come about that his name is now fourth on the list? This, suggested Mr. Buick, was accounted for by supposing that when Kawiti, Tirarau, and Pomare signed they only plaeed their marks. Those handling the business placed the names of these Maoris above that of- Heke, either to ecohomise spaee or because it was felt that they were more important people and deserving? greater honour. It was true that in later years Heke regretted having signed the Treaty at all and raised a rebellion, but when he was actually the first to sign, and by his action gave the proceedings at Waitangi a successful start, it was rather ungraeious to smother his name under three other chiefs, and so deprive him of his place of honour.