The Treaty of Waitangi; or, how New Zealand became a British ColonyBuick, Thomas Lindsay
History
The Treaty of Waitangi; or, how New Zealand became a British Colony
Buick, Thomas Lindsay
New Zealand -- Politics and government; Treaty of Waitangi (1840)
The basis on which these Atlantic colonies had been established was
that of business concerns; for it was officially stated that the
Association's scheme was objected to because of the absence of an
actual subscribed capital, and the consequent want of protection to
those proceeding to the colony as emigrants. For the reasons already
given, the stipulation that the Association should convert itself into
a Joint-Stock Company was so contrary to the motives which had
inspired it that it was at first, and still was, hotly resented and
resisted by its principal and truly philanthropic promoters. Many of
these now withdrew from the ranks of the Association; but others,
rather than give up the hope of colonising the Islands, consented to
comply with the demand of the Minister, after Parliament had rejected
their Bill, as they wrongly assumed, for the insufficient reason of a
non-existent capital. The Association then, in 1838, became a Company,
shares were issued, capital subscribed, the reorganisation changing
its whole character from a quasi-benevolent to a strictly commercial
concern, whose business it was to buy land at a low price in New
Zealand, and sell it at a high price in England.[36]
In the meantime a change had taken place at the Colonial Office. Lord
Glenelg had fallen over his Canadian policy, and in the year following
its reconstruction, the Company, on the ground that they had now
complied with all that had been stipulated for, approached his
successor, Lord Normanby, "with a view of obtaining, through his
Lordship's intervention, a Royal Charter of Incorporation." Upon what
took place at this interview the widest divergence of opinion appears
to exist. The Company claimed that the Minister received them with the
greatest affability and encouragement, and that in consequence they
left the Colonial Office in high spirits at the very favourable
reception they had met with, and were perfectly satisfied in their own
minds that all opposition to their scheme had not only ceased, but
that they could proceed with the full concurrence of the Government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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