458 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XVH. 
" rated and independent chiefs of New Zealand to 
" concur in the following articles and conditions. 
" Article 1. The chiefs of the confederation of the 
" united tribes of New Zealand, and the separate and 
" independent chiefs who have not become members 
" of the confederation, cede to her Majesty the Queen of 
" England, absolutely and without reservation, all the 
" rights and powers of sovereignty which the said con- 
" federation or individual chiefs respectively exercise 
" or possess, or may be supposed to exercise or to pos- 
" sess over their respective territories as the sole sove- 
" reigns thereof. 
" Article 2. Her Majesty the Queen of England 
** confirms and guarantees to the chiefs and tribes of 
" New Zealand, and to the respective families and in- 
" dividuals thereof, the full, exclusive, and undisturbed 
" possession of their lands and estates, forests, fisheries, 
" and other properties which they may collectively or 
" individually possess, so long as it is their wish and 
** desire to retain the same in their possession ; but 
" the chiefs of the united tribes and the individual 
" chiefs yield to her Majesty the exclusive right of pre- 
" emption over such lands as the proprietors thereof 
" may be disposed to alienate, at such prices as may be 
" agreed upon between the respective proprietors and 
" persons appointed by her Majesty to treat with them 
" on that behalf. 
" Article 3. In consideration thereof, her Majesty 
" the Queen of England extends to the natives of New 
" Zealand her royal protection, and imparts to them 
" all the rights and privileges of British subjects. 
" (Signed) W. Hobson, Lieutenant-Governor. 
" Now, therefore, we, the chiefs of the confedera- 
" tion of the united tribes of New Zealand, being as- 
" sembled in congress at Victoria in ff^aitangi, and 
