'Twisting the Treaty” is nothing more than negative propaganda and a rally of whining resentful so called meritocratic intellectuals who feel so hard done by that they must blame Maori for the state of New Zealand in regards to the Treaty and its implications for either side of the argument/debate.
The treaty has not evolved as contracts are usually revised and amended or nullified to suit the needs, wants or considerations of all parties.
Therefore the treaty may have been made null and void a long time ago if it were not for Maori attempting to live by, what they saw as a spiritual agreement, but was probably more of a contract for extraction of resource.
The Maori were bound to this document by what they wished to achieve, to reduce the rampant non ethical lawless British, without knowing the full extent of British intent which was to dispossess by stealthy albeit illegal unlawful acts with no legal or moral recourse for Maori. (abridged)
Richard Matthews.
2 comments
Richard Matthews has got it wrong
Posted on 25-05-2013 13:44 | By [email protected]
It was 13 chiefs that wanted protection from warring Maori. Here is the letter that they wrote to the King. To King William, gracious chief of England. King William, we, the chiefs of New Zealand assembled at this place, called the kerikeri, write to thee, for we hear that thou art the great chief of the other side of the water, since the many ships which come to our land are from thee. We are a people without possessions. We have nothing but timber, flax,pork and potatoes. We sell these things however to your people; then we see property of the Europeans. It is only thy land, which is liberal towards us. From thee also come the missionaries who teach us to believe on Jehovah God and on Jesus christ his son.We have heard that the tribe of Marian [the French] is at hand, coming to take away our land. Therefore we pray thee to become our friend and guardian of these islands, lest the teasing of other tribes should come near us, and lest strangers should come and take away our land. And if any of the people should be troublesome and vicious towards us we pray thee to be angry with them that they may be obedient, lest the anger of the people of this land fall upon them. This letter is from us, the chief's of the natives of New Zealand. Ian Brougham Wanganui
Richard
Posted on 26-05-2013 18:05 | By Johnnyredneck
I think Richard has got it 100 percent correct. At least that is what proper historians propose, not these part time bay of plenty wannabes who are looking for any excuse to grumble and pander to the emotional and easy to please far right. The bay of plenty has a national reputation as a hotbed of racism and conservatism. NZ's own Tea Party, quite frankly those perceptions are correct. I will never return to Tauranga. I miss the beaches, pleasant environment and sunny weather. But not the 1950's attitudes and rantings from cowboys with necks burnt from the sun and their own caustic attitudes.
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