The English version of the Treaty of Waitangi used by the Waitangi Tribunal is not a lie or political manipulation as claimed by R.McGuinness (letters 11 May). It is the version signed by Governor Hobson in 1840 with his official seal.
It was signed by Waikato chiefs. It was not an exact translation of the Waitangi Maori version, but Governor Hobson chose to put his seal on it and make it official.
It was his treaty. It has been the official English version from that day to this.
The Waitangi Tribunal was set up in 1975 by a Pakeha Government (not Maori) because it was clear that Maori had had land stolen and politicians were embarrassing themselves by doing nothing about it. Earlier Treaty settlements were grossly unfair.
The Treaty was signed between the Government and Maori. The promises it made were to Maori. No Pakeha residents signed the Treaty.
Treaty settlements are good value for the taxpayer. They cost less than 1% of Government spending and return to Maori less than 10% of the value of land stolen.
Peter Dey, Welcome Bay.
6 comments
Naff off @ Peter Dey
Posted on 19-05-2012 16:00 | By MINDER
Sorry what element of truth (if any) is in this diatribe is well and truly distorted by what can only be seen as tunnel vision . Presumably the perceived prejudice is fuelled by an element of self interest or even worse by a cock-eyed belief there is some merit in the rip offs.NZ citizens are being dealt to by the non contributors and their hangers on.
Authentic
Posted on 20-05-2012 12:41 | By EYESPY
If you can face up to reading 2 books by Doutre(2005) and Wishart(2012) I think even you may agree the writing is on the wall.The Littlewood version being the Hobson/ Busby final draft which almost word for equates with the Maori Tiriti O Waitangi when correctly translated and in particular Article II which refers to "the chiefs and tribes and to all the people of New Zealand ".Checkmate I believe.As for a signed Enlish version of the Treaty as far as I am aware does not exist but perhaps Peter Dey with your infinite knowledge you can direct us to where we can inspect it. Until proved otherwise I think it safe to assume the Littlewood "Treaty" when coupled with the Maori Tiriti O Waitangi is the real deal as they say !!!!!
ZILLIONS OF DOLLARS
Posted on 21-05-2012 19:17 | By TERMITE
1% pa is still a huge heap of dollars, don't forget to add teh legal bills that the taxpayer is paying for all sides to try for decades to settle. The taxpayer is meeting all costs. What say Maori were not the rightful owners of NZ then they sold it all to the later occupiers being the English, then the settlements have no basis and are void verse all involveed, good luck getting the legal fees back (more than the settlements most likely)
NOTHING TO SAY HEY
Posted on 22-05-2012 20:51 | By RORTSCAM
Well not really surprised about that because the evidence debunking Maori myths and highlighting the double dealing that has gone on over the last 50years pretty hard to argue against.Round 1 to the good guys.
Treaties in National Archives Wellington
Posted on 02-06-2012 20:24 | By Peter Dey
Claudia Orange in her book THE TREATY OF WAITANGI (p 259) states that the original Treaty and several copies are in the National Archives Wellington. She includes the Waikato Heads version in English. Doutre (p 131) states that Hobson put his official seal on this English version. This made it the only official English version.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Posted on 04-06-2012 22:04 | By Peter Dey
NATIONAL ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND and then TREATY OF WAITANGI shows all the signed copies of the Treaty including the Waikato Heads English version.
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