416 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



said territories unless by persons appointed by them and 

 acting under the authority of laws regularly enacted by them 

 in congress assembled. 



" 3. The hereditary chiefs and heads of tribes agreed tc 

 meet in congress at Waitangi in the autumn of each year for 

 the purpose of framing laws for the dispensation of justice, 

 the preservation of peace and good order, and the regulation 

 of trade, and they cordially invite the southern tribes to lay 

 aside their private animosities and to consult the safety and 

 welfare of our common country by joining the confederation 

 of the united tribes. 



"4. They also agree to send a copy of this declaration to 

 His Majesty the King of England, to thank him for his ac- 

 knowledgment of their flag, and, in return for the friendship 

 and protection they have shown and are prepared to show to 

 such of his loyal subjects as have settled in their country and 

 resorted to its shores for the purposes of trade, they entreat 

 that he will continue to be the parent of their infant State, 

 and that he will become its protector from all attempts upon 

 their independence." 



This Proclamation was signed in the presence of the British 

 Eesident, and there were four English witnesses, two of them 

 missionaries and the others merchants. This is a translation 

 of the circular which was printed by Mr. Colenso at Paihia. 

 It bears the heading, " Wakaputanga o te Eangatira tanga o 

 Niu Tirene." 



Although this claim for independence by the natives was 

 made at a great meeting on the 28th October, 1835, the 

 following entry occurs in Mr. Colenso's " Day- and Waste- 

 book," which is in my possession, and extends from May, 

 1836, to the 24th July, 1843, and contains all dealings con- 

 nected with printing at the missionary press that was set up 

 at Paihia. The entry runs as follows : — 



26th April, 1837. James Busbv, Esq. : Printing, &o., 100 foolscap 

 folio " Declaration of Independence of Native Chiefs," £1 Is. 



The information contained in the "Day- and Waste-book" 

 is of particular public interest, and, were space available, I 

 should like to give extracts that have never yet been made 

 public. I shall, however, limit the work to extracts that 

 have particular reference to matters of historic importance 

 during the years in which Mr. Colenso was connected with 

 the press. 



It is curious to find that the printing of the " declaration 

 of independence" in the native language, several copies of 

 which are in my possession, should have taken place eighteen 

 months or so after the meeting at which the declaration was 

 made. Why this course was adopted cannot now be dis- 



