"ENNISMORE," BOULCOTT STREET, WELLINGTON, _April 30, 1913_. NOTE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT During the compilation of this work I have necessarily been placed under obligations to a number of gentlemen, whose services I now desire to acknowledge. I am especially indebted to Mr. Charles Wilson, Librarian to the New Zealand Parliament, for the privilege of freely examining the rare official papers I desired to consult. In like manner the courtesy of Mr. A. Hamilton, Director of the Dominion Museum, must be acknowledged in placing at my disposal the New Zealand books in the Carter Collection, while the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C., has been most helpful in consulting for me authorities contained in the Hocken Collection at Dunedin. To Mr. Robert M'Nab I am obliged for the extract from Captain Lavaud's Despatch to the French Minister of Marine, now made public for the first time, and to Te Heuheu Tukino, the present representative of that family, for the narrative of his illustrious grandfather's rejection of the treaty. Valuable assistance has also been lent by the Hon. Dr. Pomare, M.P., by Messrs. H. M. Stowell, L. M. Grace, and Elsdon Best, in solving Maori problems of a technical nature, and to the Rev. T. G. Hammond I am indebted for favours of a more general character. For permission to use the portrait of Tamati Waaka Nēne I have to thank Mr. H. E. Partridge, of Auckland, and especially Mr. A. M'Donald for his generous assistance in preparing the balance of the illustrations. The written authorities consulted will be found in the Appendix. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE IN THE BEGINNING 1 CHAPTER II SEEKING A WAY 36 CHAPTER III FINDING A WAY 60 CHAPTER IV THE MAORI MAGNA CHARTA 87 CHAPTER V IN SEARCH OF SIGNATURES 135 CHAPTER VI THE TREATY 214 APPENDIX 297 BIBLIOGRAPHY 345 ILLUSTRATIONS FACE PAGE The Commemorative Monument _Frontispiece_ Town of Russell 12 James Busby 26 Lord Normanby 48 Captain Hobson, R.N. 64 The Mission Church at Kororareka 70 Mr. Busby's Residence 98 The Waitangi Falls 108