The English government having been informed that every foot of ground in New Zealand was the property of somebody did not think it expedient to send a colony there, and made a declaration to that effect ; but the English who were settled in the island wished to have some protection, and they complained that many runaway convicts from New South Wales had entered the country, where they exercised a pernicious influence over the natives, who were excited by them to acts of violence against their neighbours and the settlers. The use of fire-arms began to be introduced among them, and the conflicts became more numerous and deadly than ever. This induced the English government in 1833 to send there a consul or agent to decide disputes between the English according to the law of their country, and to remove vagabonds.
In 1835 a French adventurer, Baron de Thierry, announcing himself as sovereign chief of New Zealand and king of Nuhuhwa (one of the Marquesas Islands), published a formal declaration that he was about to go to Now Zealand and to establish an independent sovereignty. He went in 1837 to Hokianga with a few settlers, but being soon abandoned by his companions he left the country. The British settlers now addressed a petition to William IV., praying for the establishment of a regular government in the form of a British colony. In 1838 an Englishman arrived in London who had been residing for some time in New Ulster, and had bought an immeuse tract of country, which he wished to dispose of. This gave rise to the New Zealand Company, which sent there the first regular colony in 1839. Several settlements were made in New Ulster, and on the shores of Tasman Bay in New Munster. In 1840 the English govern ment made a regular settlement on the shores of Port Waitemata in the Bay of llauraki, where the town of Auckland was built. Subse quently settlements were made at Canterbury and Otago, both in New Munster, the former by members of the Church of England, the latter by Free Church Presbyterians; but both have ceased to be exclusive.
Neither the settlements nor the conduct of the New Zealand Company gave satisfaction to the colonists. The Company had endeavoured to act equitably by the natives in founding their colo nies, purchasing all the lands required, and reserving certain portions, mingled with the others, as inalienably appertaining to the original owners. Difficulties had however arisen. The native ware bad in many instances transferred districts from the conquered to the con querors. The latter had sold the lands ; the former, on something like peace being restored, claimed them, and showed no disinclination to refer the arbitrement to force. In addition, there were the claims of private individuals, who asserted that they had purchased trade of land varying from two acres to 500 square miles, for merchandise, tobacco pipes, and blankets, often from the same chiefs who had sold the land to the New Zealand Company, and in frequent cases produced their signatures. Captain Hobson, who was at first only consul, but was afterwards named lieutenant-governor, concluded the treaty of Waitangi with the native chieftains, by which the sovereignty of the islands was transferred to Queen Victoria ; but all the proprietary rights, "the lands, estates, forests, fisheries," &c., were secured to the chieftain; while the right to purchase any part thereof which they might feel disposed to alienate was restricted to the crown; it was declared that any future sale by Hui natives, except to the crown, would be null and void; and the title of the New Zealand Company to their lards was left unsettled. Numerous disputes arose between the natives, the Company, and the governor. In September, 1842,
Captain Hobson died, and his chief adviser, Mr. Shortland, carried on the government till the arrival of Captain Fitzroy, in January 1844. In the meantime an event had occurred which produced a long and disastrous war with the natives. A dispute had arisen respecting the lands in the valley of the Wairsu, near Cloudy Bay, on the opposite side of Cook Strait, in New Munster. Two of the most powerful chiefs, Iteuperaha and Rangihaeta, had used force to prevent a survey of the district being take; and had burned some of the dwellings, and a magistrate's warrant was issued to arrest them on a charge of arson. On June 17th, 1843, Captain A. Wakefield, one of the magis trates, and a party of the settlers, amounting in the whole to 49, attempted to execute this warrant, but the Maori chiefs, as might have been expected, laughed at the notion of submission to the authority of the law; and, when told they would be compelled, Rauperaha replied that he "did not want to fight, but if the white people fought he would fight too." An attempt was made to arrest the chiefs. A conflict took place ; and though the natives did not number more than 80 or 90, only half of whom were armed with musket; Captain Wakefield and 21 others were killed, several after they had laid down their arms and offered to surrender ; many more were wounded, and all who escaped did so with difficulty. This affair inspired the natives with yet greater boldness, which was not lessened by Captain Fitzroy's declaring, after an interview with Rauperaha, whom he visited to hear his statement, that the settlers were in the wrong, and ought not to have contiuued the survey at Wairau. In June, 1844, Heki, another chief, and previously a missionary student, proceeded to cut down the British flag-staff at Russell, in the Bay of Islands, at the northern end of New Ulster, and plundered and burned the town. This gave rise to hostile proceedings, which con tinued for more than a year. In November, 1845, Captain Fitzroy was succeeded by Captain (now Sir George) Grey, who came as governor-in-chief, with a force augmented to 2500 men. Within a month he succeeded in tranquillising the north. He then turned his attention to the south. Rauperaha was suddenly seized in his pall, or fortified village, and kept for a considerable time as a prisoner at large. He (cleared the valley of the Hutt, near Wellington, of the intrusive natives, and he pursued Rangihaeta and his people till they were subdued and forced to submit. During these dissensions a great portion of the native population adhered faithfully to the British side, and were of the greatest service, particularly in the latter part of the war, when tracking Rangihaeta through the pathless aud almost im penetrable forests. An attack on Wanganui in the spring of 1847, which was easily repulsed, was the last hostile conflict of the European and native races. The governor employed the military in laying out and completing a number of roads. The natives now mix on the best terms with the British ; they live amongst them, they found towns, build churches, and have projected newspapers of their own ; they have elevated themselves to an equality, perhaps more—for it is stated, that so eager are they for knowledge that there is scarcely a Maori who cannot read and write. • The New Zealand Company have given up their efforts at colonisa tion. They resigned in 1852 their claims to the government, upon receiving a compensation for their outlay to the amount of 268,370/., to be paid out of the sale of waste lards in New Zealand ; an arrange ment which excited much dissatisfaction in the oolony.