Herald Bunbury Treaty copy

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Herald Bunbury copy of the Treaty

For more than two months in 1840 Major Thomas Bunbury sailed around New Zealand obtaining signatures on the Treaty of Waitangi. His directions were to complete negotiations in North Island areas that had not been covered and to secure agreement in the South Island. It was during this trip that he proclaimed British sovereignty over the South Island – before he had finished getting the agreement of chiefs there to the Treaty. He obtained 27 signatures on the Maori-language copy of the document.

Bunbury left the Bay of Islands on HMS Herald on 28 April. A week later he met with chiefs at Coromandel Harbour. Some signed the Treaty but others felt that more time should be allowed for consultation and refused to sign. Two chiefs signed when the ship anchored off the Mercury Islands.

Bunbury's first stop in the South Island was at Akaroa on 28 May where two chiefs signed (on 30 May). Bad weather forced the ship to bypass Otago but at Ruapuke, an island in Foveaux Strait, three chiefs signed on 10 June. The Herald then returned up the east coast, sending a boat ashore in Otago Harbour where two chiefs signed. Another signing occurred at Guards Bay in Cloudy Bay on 17 June. Ngati Toa chief Nohorua insisted that his signature be witnessed by his son-in-law, whaler Joseph Thoms; according to Nohorua, should his grandchildren lose their land, their father might share the blame.

Having proclaimed sovereignty over the South Island on Horahorakakahu Island, Bunbury sailed for Kapiti, off the west coast of the North Island. Off Mana Island he found Te Rauparaha and insisted that he sign. Te Rauparaha assured Bunbury that he had already given his agreement to Henry Williams, but he signed Bunbury's copy on 19 June. After a brief call at the Tukituki River in Hawke's Bay, where Te Hapuku signed, Bunbury arrived back at the Bay of Islands on 2 July.

The Herald-Bunbury copy was probably made by translator Henry Kemp. It is on parchment and suffered severe damage from its later encounter with rats. The copy bears Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson's signature.