Moving Towards Annexation

Vocabulary Annexation: The action of annexing, to incorporate a territory into an existing political unit (country)

Sovereignty: Supreme power or authority.

WHY? What reasons do you think Maori may

have been looking to Britain for intervention in NZ in the early 1830s?

What reasons might the British have for NOT wanting to intervene?

How might intervention benefit the British?

Pressures in the 1830s

Some Northern Maori want protection.

Law and order of British.

Many Maori want closer links for trade, literacy and

religious reasons.

Missionaries want to protect Maori.

Traders want trade protected.

French threat? – Baron de Thierry an eccentric French

aristocrat has landed in the Bay of Islands claiming land

as an independent state.

So what did they do? In 1831, 13 Maori Chiefs sent a

petition to King William IV under the encouragement of CMS Missionaries.

The petition asked for protection from French invasion (which was feared) and from all other nations.

They also asked for law enforcement- they wanted disorderly British residents and visitors to be punished.

What did the petition mean?

A recognition of a commercial relationship between the two countries.

The beginning of a relationship between the King and Maori people/leaders.

A first official recognition of concern regarding law and order.

Appointment of a British Resident

In 1833, the British Crown appoints James Busby as the first British Resident of NZ.

Busby was to be a representative of British authority in NZ.

Who is James Busby? James Busby was born in Edinburgh.

He came to NZ in 1833 from NSW (Sydney) where he had been a viticulturist.

He settled in the Bay of Islands with his wife. They had six children.

James Busby

British Resident: Job Description

To protect “well-disposed settlers and traders”

To prevent “outrages” of Europeans against Maori

To apprehend escaped convicts. He was expected to act as a bridge between

the races.

Basically, he is maintaining law and order, regulating race relations and protecting NZ from any other overseas influence.

What problems might Busby have faced in

this job?

Problems for Busby He had no power, authority or

support. He cannot have troops to enforce

because he is a civilian. He cannot make laws because he is a

civilian. NZ is not officially under the control

of Britain, so their laws do not apply. NSW was unwilling to provide

adequate funds for Busby to be effective.

Important Initiatives Busby gathered Maori chiefs at

Waitangi in 1834 and encouraged them to choose a national flag.

This flag was used for flying on New Zealand ships to identify them overseas

It was known as the flag of the “Independent Tribes of New Zealand”

Important Initiatives In 1835, Busby convinced 34 chiefs

from the north to sign a Declaration of Independence of New Zealand.

They called themselves the Confederation of United Tribes.

The British recognised the Declaration and with it the independence of Maori and New Zealand.