The Treaty of Waitangi.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3177, 25 April 1879, Page 2

The Treaty of Waitangi.

Very few persons who bave been any time resident in New Zealand but hard heard of the famous Treaty of Waitangi; which is continually quoted; wh«n ; dj% cultiei arise between the natives and Europeans. The following isa copy of the document and will perhaps interest ■ome of our readers :—

He§ MAJBBTTJ VicxoßiA,,Qa»enfqf th« United Eingdam of Great Britiaif and Ireland, regarding with Her Royal nror the , Native vphicrfp and) v Tribes MJ&pf; Za^Mid, and anxious to protect their' jurt riguts aad property, and to. secure .to. them the enjoyment of peace and good order, hu deemed it of "Her Mftjbety's Bubjeotß Whoi have ilreiidy •ettlod in Zealand, and the rapid extenuon of emigration botfi'frdil tfurqpe£ad' . Au»traH» # ,whjqh Ay •till, in .ptocreis. "to cota* btituteiTbd appoint a fancaonar/propMly authorised to treat with.the Aborigines of New Zealand foi- the' recognitlan' of' Wt Majesty's, eovereiga authority over the whole or any part ofthose-islands. Her Mnjeaty, therelore, being desirous to eitablith a sattled forinbf Civil Government with a view'to avert the evil consequencos which .muiLremlt from the absence of the necessary laws and iEstituiioris, aUkoto.th^ native ppp|dft|iM and her subjects,,has beea graciously pleMfed to empower andaiathorisemßJ'William Hobson, a Captain in Her Majaitj'ijßoir.al Navy, Consul, and Lieutenaot-Governor of such parts of 'New Zealand a# may be^pr lureaftev rhallbo/cededto H e r™M«je.tyT»o{nV»>.?th ft confederated and indepeßdent Obtt&rbf New Zealand to concur in,the v follo wing articles and conditions;: 5— ...-.>■' '~' '""" 5 ,,,,<n ,j;,w Abtiolb thb Fimt.—The chieft of .Jke Confederation of tb« United Tribe/c«, Ne^r Zealand, and the separate and indepande^jit Chief* who, have not .become members Confed.eratiQH,.:,;o"dder to /r Hefp J^ej^^ilp Qusen of; England, ■abßolutely.^n|w,i^»t resolution, all the?rights and "poweri.jpf Sovereignty.which the said Confeder»tipa i «r In^iyidu*! Chiefs . respectively" exeroilid or possess, or may bo supposed to exerelse'br to possess, over their respective territories as the >s6le:Sovereignß:t!herebf.'-^K- ': ,Tc?ir<rH'T<rOß[.

Abticls thb 'SBOOKB.-ri-Her MajettyA the T.Quebu of Kngland confirms ap4 gqarMl|e*ft|o the Chiefs and Tribes of 2few Zealand, and ro the reapectiTe-familieaandiudiTiduali there* of, the full, exclusive, and undisturbed pos* session of the. Lands and Estates,. Forests, Fisheries, and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess, so same in their poeition; but the' OHiefi «Pw« United Tribes and the Individual Chiefs yield to Her Majesty the exolusite right of pre* femMdn^rer suqh iaad»" a#■ thyrf fe|»kl|W tlkreotmay be ditpo.^ toaiid&SP* prices as may be agreed upon between the respective proprietors and persons appointed by Her Mijeity to treat with them im fchac behalf.

>* .t Ainxczs: thb y TaißD.-i'la rwjatjdutjljpii thereof, Her Majesty the Queen of EnWibd extendirtOjthe .Natiw of New Zealand W royalj prpteotioq, anc| imparti t« ttieai ;all the Con'federution; of the! Unit edTribei »f ITew Zealabd,' being ftaiembled in ; OongWM at Victoria, in Waitangi, and we; the ieparat« aad',mdependent Chiefs of IJew^Zsaland, ckinjtnj; authority oVer the tribeH and tern* tories'which are ipecifiecl aft»r our retpectir« names, haying been made fally to vnderttand the prorUioni of the foregoing Treaty, aooept and enUr into tke lame in tho f«U •pirit and meaning thereof: in witness of which, wa hare attached,our |ignataref©r,Xß«rk« tt the places and the dates respective)! speojfled. Done at Waitangi; this sixth 1 day'4f February, in the year of Our I*rd one thousaud eight hundred and, forty.