7. Herald-Bunbury Treaty Copy

On 28 April Major Thomas Bunbury sailed from the Bay of Islands on HMS Herald; his directions were to complete negotiations in North Island areas that had not been covered and to secure treaty agreement in the South Island. The interpreter for the trip was Henry Williams's son, Edward, who had assisted with the translation of the Waitangi draft treaty into Maori.

On 4-5 May Bunbury met with chiefs at Coromandel harbour; some signed but others felt that more time should be allowed for consultation and refused to sign. Off the Mercury Islands, the Herald anchored and was boarded by two chiefs who signed without hesitation. Bunbury now left the Herald and boarded the Trent to go in to Tauranga.

He arrived at Tauranga on 11 May and the following day held a meeting at Te Papa, but failed to get any further Tauranga signatures. He authorised the Fedarb treaty copy and the one that went in to Rotorua-Taupo; and then, anxious to get away to the South Island, he returned to the Herald.

Landing on the Akaroa peninsula on 28 May, Bunbury held a meeting that day and on 30 May, when two chiefs signed. As the ship headed further south, bad weather forced it to bypass Otago and run for Stewart Island (where Bunbury proclaimed sovereignty over the island). The next signing, at Ruapuke, was held on 10 June. Returning up the east coast, one of the Herald's boats put in to Otago harbour where two chiefs signed. The ship moved on to Cook Strait, and at Guard's Bay in Cloudy Bay another signing took place on 17 June. The Ngati Toa chief, Nohorua, insisted that his signature be witnessed by his son-in-law, the whaler Joseph Thoms, for, said 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 Mana Island he found Te Rauparaha and insisted that he sign Bunbury’s treaty copy, although the chief assured him that he had already given his agreement to Henry Williams. 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.

Like some of the other treaty copies, this copy prefixed the chiefs' names with 'Ko te tohu o' -The sign of.

Herald-Bunbury Treaty Copy signatories
�Signed as �Probable name Tribe Hapu
Signed on 4 May 1840, at Coromandel harbour, witnessed by Joseph Nias and Thomas Bunbury
1 �Te Horeta te Taniwa �Te Horeta Te Taniwha �Ngati Whanaunga �Te Mateawa?
2 �Kitahi �Kitahi [Te Taniwha] �Ngati Whanaunga, Ngati Paoa �Te Mateawa?
3 �Puakanga �Puakanga �Ngati Whanaunga?
4 �Hauauru �Hauauru �Ngati Paoa, Ngati Whanaunga
Signed on 7 May 1840, on HMS Herald off Mercury Islands, witnessed by Joseph Nias
5 �Purahi �Purahi �Ngati Maru �from Mercury Bay?
6 �Ngataiaepa �Nga Taiepa �Ngati Paoa �Te Rapupo
Signed on 30 May 1840, at Akaroa, witnessed by Thomas Bunbury and Edward M Williams
7 �Iwikau �Iwikau �Ngai Tahu �Ngati Rangiamoa
8 �John Love �John Love [Tikao] �Ngai Tahu �Ngai Te Kahukura, Ngai Tuahuriri
Signed on 10 June 1840, on HMS Herald at Ruapuke, witnessed by Joseph Nias and Thomas Bunbury
9 �John Touwaick �Hone Tuhawaiki �Ngai Tahu, Ngati Mamoe �Ngati Ruahikihiki
10 �Kaikoura �Kaikoura �Ngai Tahu
11 �Taiaroa/Tararoa �Tararoa? �Ngai Tahu?
Signed on 13 June 1840, at Otago Heads, witnessed by Thomas Bunbury and William Stewart
12 �John Karitai �Hone Karetai �Ngai Tahu Ngati Ruahikihiki, Ngati Moki, Ngai Te Kahukura, Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngati Hinekura
13 �Korako �Korako �Ngai Tahu �Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngati Huirapa
Signed on 17 June 1840, at Guard's Bay, Cloudy Bay, witnessed by Thomas Bunbury, William Stewart and (for Nohorua) Joseph Thoms
14 �Maui Pu �Maui Pu �Ngati Toa?
15 �Eka Hare �Kahare/Hari? [Charley?] �Ngati Toa?
16 Puke �Puke �Ngati Toa?
17 Nohorua Nohorua [Tom Street] Ngati Toa Ngati Kimihia?
18 Waiti Waiti/Whaiti? Ngati Toa?
19 Te Wi Te Whi Ngati Toa?
20 �Te Kanai Te Kanae Ngati Toa? Ngati Awhai-a-Te-Hau?
21 Pukeko Pukeko Ngati Toa? from Porirua?
22 �Kaikoura Kaikoura Ngati Toa?
Signed on 19 June 1840, off Mana Island, witnessed by Thomas Bunbury and William Stewart
23 Te Rauparaha Te Rauparaha Ngati Toa Ngati Koata, Ngati Rarua, Ngati Rakau, Ngati Kimihia
24 Rangihaeata Te Rangihaeata Ngati Toa Ngati Kimihia, Ngati Te Maunu, Ngati Koata, Ngati Rarua, Ngati Rakau
Signed on 24 June 1840, in Hawke's Bay, witnessed by Thomas Bunbury and Edward M. Williams
25 Te Hapuku Te Hapuku [Te Ikanui-o-te-moana] Ngati Te Whatu-i- apiti, Ngati Kahungunu Ngati Te Rangi-ko-ia-anake
26 Waikato [Hoani] Waikato Ngati Te Whatu-i-apiti , Ngati Kahungunu
27 Mahikai Mahikai [Harawira] Ngati Kahungunu

Herald Bunbury Treaty Copy signatures

Image of Herald Bunbury Treaty Copy signatures. (Click for enlarged version )

Related biographies from the online DNZB

These biographies can be found at www.dnzb.govt.nz - the figure in [ ] indicates signature number

[1] Te Horeta (? - 1853)
Ngati Whanaunga leader

[9] Tuhawaiki, Hone (? - 1844)
Ngai Tahu leader, whaler, mariner, trader

[12] Karetai (? - 1860)
Ngai Tahu leader

[23] Te Rauparaha (? - 1849)
Ngati Toa leader

[24] Te Rangihaeata (? - 1855)
Ngati Toa leader, warrior

[25] Te Hapuku (? - 1878)
Ngati Te Whatu-i-apiti leader, farmer, magistrate


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