Chap. XT. CASE OF RANGIHAEATA. 273 
" and in fact he had never ceded the land to any 
" one, or parted with the rightful possession thereof, 
" as a free and independent native chief. The pro- 
" ceedings of the Court closed rather abruptly, and 
" it vras understood that his Honour the Judge would, 
" if his time permitted, give the case all the considera- 
" tion in his power before leaving the harbour." 
Some carelessness was displayed in stating that Run- 
gihaeata had not signed the agreement with the confede- 
rate chiefs, commonly called the Treaty of TVaitangi ; 
for Major Bunbury distinctly states, in the report of his 
mission made to Governor Hobson, that both Rangi- 
haeata and Rauperaha signed the document in question, 
on the 19th of June 1840, at Mana, on board H.M.S. 
Herald. It seemed odd that neither the Judge nor 
any of the Counsel should have been in possession of 
an authentic copy of so important a paper, with all the 
signatures attached. But even in the Blue Book, 
which was referred to by them, the brief words "512 
"signatures," are considered sufficient record of a 
document on which the sovereignty of Great Britain 
over New Zealand and certain rights of the natives to 
land are founded ; and scarcely any one knows to this 
day, except by rumour and incidental evidence, who 
were the 512 natives that did sign the Treaty of 
Wmtungi. It would at least be interesting to know 
how many out of the number now acknowledge the 
sovereignty of Queen Victoria and hold themselves 
amenable to her laws. 
I believe the statement was also unfounded that the 
indictment had been served upon Rangihaeata. It is 
true that an indictment was preferred against Rangi- 
haeata, and a true bill foimd against him by the Crown 
Prosecutor. The attorney for the prosecution then ap- 
})lied to the Magistrates for a warrant to hold Rangi- 
VOL. II. T 
