One New Zealand Foundation Inc.

I cannot understand why government, Te Papa and our historians and researchers ignore Queen Victoria’s Royal Charter/Letters Patent as our Founding Document in favour of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi only gave Britain sovereignty of all the islands of New Zealand and tangata Maori the same rights as the people of England under the laws and dependency of New South Wales for 12 months, (21 May 1840 until the 3 May 1841). The Treaty was then filed away where it should have remained as it had served its purpose and was of no further use.

 

Queen Victoria’s Royal Charter/Letters Patent dated the 16 November 1840:-

 

1. Separated New Zealand from New South Wales on the 3 May 1840.

 

2. Made New Zealand into a British Colony.

 

3. Gave New Zealand its first Governor.

 

4. Gave New Zealand its first Constitution.

 

5. Gave New Zealand the right to form its own Government.

 

6. Gave New Zealand the right make its own laws and legislation under the watchful eye of Great Britain.

 

7. Gave New Zealand its own courts to enforce those laws.

 

8. Gave New Zealand its own judges to hear all the evidence.

 

9. Gave New Zealand its own justice system of one law for all.

 

1. Gave New Zealand its own political system based on merit not race.

 

1. New Zealand was recognised by the rest of the world as an independent British Colony.

 

2. And finally, it made all the people of New Zealand one people under one law and one flag, irrespective of race, colour or creed.

 

I cannot think of any other document that was more important to New Zealand and its people than Queen Victoria’s Royal Charter/Letters Patent dated the 16 November 1840, but unfortunately it is completely ignored by those that should know better, the Government, Te Papa and most of our researchers, historians and 1law4all.

 

The more we debate and write books etc. about the Treaty and ignore the Royal Charter, the more we help Maori distort a document that was filed away on the 21 May 1840 when New Zealand became British soil under one law and one flag irrespective of race, colour or creed.

There is no mention of the Treaty in the Royal Charter because the Treaty had served its purpose by the 21 May 1840, allowing Britain to make New Zealand into a British Colony on the 3 May 1841. The Royal Charter made New Zealand a country in its own right recognised by the rest of the world, a fact that has never been disputed by any other nation.

 

After the 3 May 1841 the Treaty of Waitangi was of little use, except as an historical document that gave sovereignty over all the Islands of New Zealand to Britain and Maori the same rights as the people of England, but the majority continue to accept it as our Founding Document when, in fact, it was no more our Founding Document than the paper that our fish and chips come wrapped in!

 

It is obvious why government, Te Papa and our researchers and historians ignore it as it would destroy the Waitangi Tribunal and most of the Treaty of Waitangi claims as well as the 1.5 million visitors per year being misled by Te Papa, but why would 1law4all want to deprive its members of our true Founding Document and first Constitution?

 

From the above, how could anyone say, “Queen Victoria’s Royal Charter/Letters Patent dated the 16 November 1840 is not our true Founding Document and first Constitution”?

 

Ross Baker, Researcher, One New Zealand Foundation Inc. 3/9/2016 (C).