As reports had reached England that the Natives were likely to suffer at the hands of unscrupulous white traders and dealers in land, Captain Hobson, R.N., was sent to negotiate a Treaty under which the rights of the Natives were to be protected. Hobson was instructed that he was to deal with the Maoris in a spirit of “mildness, justice, and perfect sincerity.”

The copy of the Treaty signed at Waitangi on the 16th of February, 1840, is only one of many copies.

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In order to get the principal chiefs all over New Zealand to sign in a reasonable time, copies were taken by responsible men to different districts. For instance, the Rev. H. Maunsell got most of the Waikato signatures; the Rev. W. Williams was responsible for the Poverty Bay district; the Rev. Henry Williams worked all around Cook Strait, Kapiti, and Wanganui, and intended to proceed to “Cloudy Bay, Banks Peninsula and Otako,” when he heard that H.M.S. “Herald” had left the Bay of Islands for the South Island.

The “Herald” (Captain Nias) carried Major Bunbury, H.M.'s 8oth Regiment, as the officer detailed to get signatures. British Sovereignty was proclaimed at Stewart Island on June 17th, 1840, but they found no chiefs, and consequently got no signatures. The vessel then proceeded to Ruapuke.

In Major Bunbury's report on his mission he says: “On Tuesday, the 9th June, the wind having shifted to a more favourable quarter, we were enabled to leave the Harbour and sail for Robuka or Long Island in Foveaux Strait, where we expected to meet a tribe with a chief named Bloody Jack, an epithet of which he is now ashamed and disowns, having resumed his Native name of Tooiaki.

“On nearing the Land a boat came off with some Europeans and Natives, who we found had been expecting our arrival for some time. A Mr. Hesketh, connected with the House of Jones, of Sydney, kindly undertook to bring off the Chief in his boat the same evening, leaving an English Seaman, formerly in the employ of Captain Stuart, to Pilot us to an anchorage.

“The native village being at some distance from our anchorage ground Mr. Hesketh did not return until late in the evening. The Chief Tooiaki came on board in the full dress Staff Uniform or of a British Aid–de–Camp, with Gold Lace trousers, Cocked–hat and plume in which he looked extremely well, and his behaviour at Captain Nias' table where he took tea shewed that the examples he had seen had not been lost upon him; he was also accompanied by a Native Orderly Sergeant dressed in a corresponding costume. The Chief spoke a little English and appeared to be aware of the Nature of the Treaty, but which I thought it necessary to have read and explained to him in the presence of Mr. Hesketh, and he signed it without hesitation. He said he had at his village twenty men dressed and in training as British Soldiers, and was very anxious that Captain Nias should permit them to come on Board the following morning and see the Marines go through the Manual and Pelotoon Exercise which he kindly acceded to.

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“On the Chief taking leave I told him I should return his visit on the morrow, which I accordingly did accompanied by Lieut. Hewett, Rl. Marines, Captain Stuart (to whom the Chief was known), Mr. Williams and an Officer from the Ship in charge of the boat.

“After being carried through the surf by some natives, we were received by the Chief in the same scarlet uniform he had worn the day before, and by the Sergeant, who then accompanied him at the head of six soldiers dressed in British uniforms without hats or shoes. The Chief took us to his cottage, a weather board hut, and offered us rum, of which he appeared to have a good supply, but Mr. Hesketh, to their credit, states that although they are not absolutely temperence men they seldom get drunk.

“I was afterwards introduced to his son, a fine boy of about seven years of age, of whom he appears justly proud. The child was dressed in a very becoming manner, and has six toes on each of his feet, which his father appears to exhibit with much satisfaction. Rauparaha, who is a great warrior and the Mortal Enemy of this Tribe, is similarly gifted with this unusual addition to his feet.

“Knowing that Captain Nias was anxious to proceed on his voyage, we were obliged to shorten our visit. The Chief and his son came off with us, and the Sergeant and six of his Soldiers with two other Chiefs came off in two whale boats, a third following with Natives bringing potatoes, etc., to the ship. The Soldiers of the Chief and Natives having arranged themselves on deck, the Marines went through the Manual and Pelotoon Exercise as had been promised, and afterwards at my request Captain Nias permitted a few sailors to go through the Sword Exercise, which, as I had anticipated, pleased and interested them much, particularly the “Attack and Defence,” the Chief frequently calling to his followers to pay attention and see how it was performed.

“Whilst the ship was getting under weigh they took their departure, two other Chiefs having also been permitted to sign at the request of Tooiaki.

“This influencial Chief is one of those individuals who (similarly with Rauparaha in Cook's Strait) have had sufficient address to gain the ascendancy over the Chiefs of the neighbouring Tribes, without any claim from circumstance of birth.”

Signatures At Ruapuke.

The three signatures obtained at Ruapuke are signed as John Touwaick, Kaikoura, and Taiaroa. Going on to Otago Heads, John page 27 Karetai and Korako also signed. These five are the only Southern names on any copies of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The “Herald” then proceeded northwards, got a few signatures at Akaroa and at Cloudy Bay, then sailed across the Straits to the Island of Kapiti, where the Southerners' old–time enemies, Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata, signed on the same sheet as Tuhawaiki, Taiaroa and Karetai. So the Ngatitoa signed the same document as their late foes, the Kaitahu people.