1830 Hokianga-built trading ship Sir George Murray was seized in Sydney by Customs officials for sailing without a flag or register. without a flag or register the Maori nation, trading ships and their valuable cargos would continue 2 b seized. The seizure of the Sir George Murray and her detainment in Neutral Bay occured whilst 2 principle Maori chiefs believed to be Patuone and Taonui were on board. Upon arriving in the bay of islands in 1833 to take up the position of British resident, James Busby almost immediately wrote 2 the colonial secretary in New South Wales suggesting that a flag be adopted to represent the Sovereign Nation of the Maori. Busby also saw the flag as a way of encouraging Maori chiefs to work together.The Australian authorities agreed whole heartedly with his proposal for a flag. Maori chiefs chose a flag. On march 20th 1834, 25 chiefs gathered at Waitangi to choose a flag to represent NZ. A number of missonaries, settlers and the commanders of 10 British and 3 American ships wer in attendance. *refer to the above information* The Maori name for the United Tribes of NZ on the original Maori Declaration of Independence is 'KO TE WAKAMINENGA O NGA HAPU O NU TIRENI' from the original document that was signed.