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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

Second Meeting with the Native Chiefs.—Treaty signed

Second Meeting with the Native Chiefs.—Treaty signed,

6th February, 1840.

At 10 o'clock this morning it was announced to me that the chiefs, being impatient of further delay, and perfectly satisfied with the proposals I had made them, were desirous at once to sign the Treaty, that they might return to their homes. The further consideration of the question had been adjourned from, the 5th to the 7th; but to have refused this request would probably have rendered nugatory the whole proceeding by the dispersion of the tribes before they had attested their consent by their signatures. I therefore assembled the officers of the Government, and, with Mr. Busby and the gentlemen of the Missionary body, I proceeded to the tents, where the Treaty was signed in due form by forty-six head chiefs, in presence of at least five hundred of inferior degree.

As the acquiescence of these chiefs, twenty-six of whom had signed the Declaration of Independence, must be deemed a full and clear recognition of the sovereign rights of Her Majesty over the northern parts of this Island, it will be announced by a salute of twenty-one guns, which I have arranged with Captain Nias shall be fired from this ship to-morrow.

In the course of this proceeding I have courted the utmost publicity, and I have forborne to adopt even the customary measure of propitiating the consent of the chiefs by presents or promises; and not until the Treaty had been signed did I give them anything. To have sent them home without acknowledgment would have been a violation of their customs, and would have given offence; I therefore distributed amongst them a few articles of trifling value before they separated.

It is my intention next week to visit Hokianga, and I hope to obtain the adherence of such of the chiefs of that district as were not present at Waitangi.

I have, &c.,

W. Hobson.

His Excellency Sir George Gipps, &c.