Introduction
In 1830 there were 100,000 Māori and 200 Europeans living in New Zealand. The behaviour of the Whalers,
the Missionaries’ desire to help protect Māori rights and the Musket Wars were reasons that a treaty was needed.
The Declaration of Independence was another contributing factor to the need for a treaty.
Paragraph One (Lawyer)
One reason that a treaty was needed was the lawless behaviour of some of the British Settlers like whalers.
There were an estimated 200 Europeans in NZ around 1830 most of these Europeans were whalers. Whalers
were out at sea for months to try and catch whales. When the whalers came to shore at the Kororareka(Russell)
port they would cause problems, for example, they would drink, start fights, and there would have been
prostitution. A treaty would have helped stop the problems by bringing everyone together.
Paragraph Two (Lawyer)
Another reason that a treaty was needed was to protect Māori rights. One group that felt strongly about this
was the missionaries. Around 1814 the European missionaries came to New Zealand and tried to convert the
Maori to their religion and beliefs. The missionaries taught the Maori useful skills such as reading and writing
in Maori and agriculture technique. The Missionaries worried on behalf of the Maori because they saw sin, bad
behaviour and all the land that was sold. The treaty would have helped protect the Maori because the treaty
would have enforced laws into New Zealand
Paragraph Three (Hamer)
Another reason that a treaty was needed was the Musket Wars. The Musket Wars started in 1807 and ended
in 1842 and killed over 20,000 people. The first tribe to get the muskets was Nga Puhi. Maori tribes traded food
and land to obtain the muskets, the tribes that weren’t near ports/ocean were forced to venture out and trade
valuables and food to get muskets. The Maori tribes would fight for land ownership or to regain mana after past
defeats. The Musket wars showed a treaty was needed.
Paragraph Four (The Slam Dunk)
The final reason that a treaty was needed was the existence of the Declaration of Independence. On the 28th
of October 1835, there was a declaration of independence signed between the Maori and Europeans. The
purpose of the declaration was to protect the Maori rights and to have a flag of their own. 52 Maori chiefs that
signed the declaration of independence. The treaty would have made the Maori become equal with all the other
countries with weapon usage.
Conclusion (Robust Conclusion)
This essay has demonstrated why a treaty was needed. It was needed because there a huge amount of conflict
between the Maori and Europeans. The whalers brought a lot of bad problems to the Maori such as diseases,
fights and prostitution. Two things we have learnt is that the treaty was an important part for the Maori and the
Europeans become one and without The Treaty Of Waitangi New Zealand wouldn’t be the way it is now. That is
why the Treaty was needed.
