By the end of 1840 about 540 Maori, including 13 women, had signed the Treaty of Waitangi; all but 39 signed the Maori text. Some had clear expectations about what their agreement would bring; others chose not to sign the Treaty at all.
New Zealand became a British colony in 1840, legitimised by the Treaty of Waitangi and Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson's declaration of 21 May declaring sovereignty over the islands.
Protecting Maori, regulating land purchases, controlling the activities of settlers and dealing with the potential influx of migrants came together in British policy in 1839; New Zealand would be annexed.
