One New Zealand Foundation Inc.

‘Maori’ today are not the ‘Maori’ who signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.

All the Acts below are for a specific reason as Maori ancestry (blood quantum) became further and further diluted with other races. The first Act; “The Native Lands Act of 1865”.

The fact is, through the continuing intermarriage of their ancestors’ own free will with other races, government had to continually change the Acts to define, “Who is a Maori”?

Under the 1975 Waitangi Tribunal Act, Maori today can be a person with 1% Maori ancestry (blood quantum) and 99% of another race. This is ridiculous and must be changed!

It is now 50 years since the 1975 Treaty of Waitangi Act; therefore, Government must reassess and “Update the Statutory Definition of a Maori”.

The Maori race, through intermarriage of their ancestors’ own free will with other races has reached a stage where it is unrealistic to give Maori special rights and privileges in an Act, over all other New Zealand Citizens.

Government must, therefore, come to its senses and pass a new Act., “The New Zealand Citizens Act 20??: “all New Zealand Citizens will have the same rights under one flag and one law, irrespective of race colour or creed”.

This Act would honour both the Treaty of Waitangi and Lt. Governor Hobson’s one Treaty Principle, “He iwi tahi tatou – We are now one people”, New Zealand Citizens.

The eight Acts over the years to define, “Who is a Maori”.  Nine is an updated Act.

1. The Native Lands Act of 1865 defined a Maori as, “an Aboriginal Native and shall include all halfcastes and their descendants by Natives”.
2. The Qualification of Electors Act 1879 defined a Maori as, “an Aboriginal inhabitant of New Zealand and includes any halfcaste living as a member of a native tribe according to their customs and usages and any descendants of such a halfcaste by a Maori woman.
3. The Electoral Act 1893 defined a Maori as, “an Aboriginal inhabitant of New Zealand and includes halfcastes and their descendants by natives”.
4. The Native Land Court Act 1894 defines a Maori as, “an Aboriginal native of New Zealand and includes halfcastes and their descendants”.
5. The Native Land Acts 1909 defines a Maori as, “a person belonging to the Aboriginal race of New Zealand and includes a halfcaste and a person intermediate in blood between halfcaste and a person of pure descent from that race”.
6. The Maori Affairs Amendment Act 1974 defines a Maori as, “a person of the Maori race of New Zealand and includes any descendant of such a person”.
7. The Electoral Amendment Act 1975 defines a Maori as, “a person of the Maori race and includes any descendant of such a person who elects to be considered a Maori for the purposes of the Electoral Act”.
8. The 1975 Waitangi Tribunal Act defines a Maori as, “a person of the Maori race of New Zealand; and includes any descendant of such a person.
9. The New Zealand Citizen Act 20??: all New Zealand Citizens will have the same rights under one flag and one law, irrespective of race colour or creed.

Prepared by: The One New Zealand Foundation Inc. (Copyright). 26 July 2024.

Website; www.onenzfoundation.co.nz. Email: onzf@bigpond.com.au