James Busby's job was to...

However, New Zealand was an independent territory, outside British law. Busby had no legal powers and no military force.

The British government also instructed Busby to work with Māori leaders towards a 'settled form of government'. In March 1834, he held a meeting of local rangatira (chiefs) and they chose a flag for New Zealand-built ships to fly. The flag still has symbolic importance today. Which flag did they choose?

Next, Busby called together local rangatira late in 1835. Thirty-four Māori leaders – calling themselves the Confederation of United Tribes – signed...

'A Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand' asked the British Crown to recognise the country's independence and protect it. Did the British government acknowledge the Declaration?

In 1837, intertribal fighting that also involved Pākehā broke out in the Bay of Islands. Busby asked the British government to help. They sent a naval captain called...

William Hobson originally decided to make a few areas 'British only' settlements as to limit intrusion on Māori independence.

Hobson admitted to his wife after his 1837 visit that he really believed New Zealand should be taken as a British colony, because...

A British group called the New Zealand Company planned to buy land here and send hundreds of settlers. Now, the British Government decided it had to take responsibility. This event happened in...

Hobson was asked to return to New Zealand, this time to negotiate a treaty with Māori, (this would eventually become the Treaty of Waitangi) allowing the British government to assert ___________ over all or part of New Zealand.