DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF NEW ZEALAND 28th October 1835
(i) We, the hereditary chiefs and head of the tribes of the Northern parts of New Zealand, being assembled at " Waitangi " in the Bay of Islands on this 28th day of October 1835, 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.
(2) All Sovereign powers 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 laws regularly enacted by them in Congress assembled.
(3) The hereditary chiefs and heads of the 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.
(4) 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.
AGREED unanimously on this 28th day of October 1835 in the presence of His Britannic Majesty's Resident.
English Witnesses :
HENRY WILLIAMS, Missionary C.M.S.
GEORGE CLARKE,
JAMES C. CLENDON, Merchant.
GILBERT MAIR,
(Translated by the Missionaries and certified to by James Busby, British Resident.)
NAMES OF CHIEFS SIGNING DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, October 28, 1835.
1. AWAROA.
2. WAI.
3. HARE HONGI.
4. REWETI ATUAHAERE.
5. HEMI KEPA TUPE.
6. AWA.
7. WARE POAKA.
8. WIREMU TE TI TAUNUI.
9. WAIKATO.
10. TE NANA.
11. TITORE.
12. Pi.
13. MOKA.
14. KAUA.
15. WHARERAHI.
16. TAREHA.
17. KEWA.
18. KAWITI.
19. PUMUKA.
20. NGERE.
21. KE KEAE.
22. MOETARA.
23. TE KAMARA.
24. HIAMOE.
25. POMARE.
26. PUKUTUTU.
27. WIWIA.
28. TE PEKA.
29. TE TAG.
30. HONE WIREMU HEKE.
31. MARUPO.
32. PAERARA.
33. KOPIU.
34. ERERA PARE (te kai-tuhituhi).
35. WARAU.
SUBSEQUENT SIGNATURES TO THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
1. NENE (Tamati Waaka).
2. TAWHAI.
3. HUHU.
4. MATE.
5. PATUONE.
6. KAMA, June 25, 1837.
7. PARORE, June 25, 1837.
8. TE MORENGA, July 12, 1837.
9. TOWA.
10. MAHIA.
11. PANAKAREAO (Nopera).
12. TAONUI, Jan. 16, 1838.
13. KIWI KIWI, Jan. 13, 1836.
14. PAPAHIA, Sept. 24, 1838.
15. TIRARAU, Feb. 9, 1836.
16. HAPUKU, Sept. 25, 1838.
17. HAMUREA PITA, March 29, 1836.
18. TEWHEROWHERO, July22, 1839.
Important Notes:
All those who signed this declaration also signed the Treaty in 1840 So in efect the Treaty cancelled out the declaration.
53 chiefs signed in total. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed by 540 chiefs, which begs the question “How could 53 chiefs make a decision on behalf of all the chiefs when the vast majority of the chiefs were not even consulted? Not only not consulted, but were not even aware that the Declaration even existed?
The 35 chiefs only met once, and were at war with each other in 1837. Finally, the declaration was not authorised by the British Government.
“Sir George Gipps, Governor of New South Wales, in succession to Sir Richard Bourke, in a despatch dated August 1840, speaks of the Declaration, as entirely a measure of Mr. Busby's concoction, and designates it " a silly as well as an unauthorised act a paper pellet fired of at the Baron de Thierry." (Lindsay T. Buick. The Treaty Of Waitangi Or How New Zealand Became A British Colony. Wellington N.Z. S. & W. Mackay Lambton Quay 1914. page 21)