British Colonization

The early European settlers in New Zealand were not organized，and the British government did not initially claim authority over New Zealand.However，things began to change in the 1830s.The visit of a French warship to New Zealand in 1827 caused concern among the missionaries in New Zealand who began to demand action by the British government.Meanwhile，a group of people in England also began to demand systematic colonization of New Zealand.They sought to solve some of England’s economic problems by transferring English capital and surplus labor to New Zealand and creating a new society there.This group created the New Zealand Company and sent out an initial expedition team to New Zealand in 1839 to buy land on both islands.

Prompted by these events，the British government decided to establish a colony in New Zealand.The first English viceroy arrived in New Zealand in January 1840 and proclaimed British sovereignty over the South Island of New Zealand by right of discovery.It was initially governed as part of New South Wales in Australia.The viceroy then persuaded the influential Maori chiefs on the Northern Island to sign the Treaty of Waitangi，by which the Maori people surrendered their sovereignty to the English Crown in return for its protection and guaranteed possession of land.In 1841，the colony of New Zealand was established with its capital at Auckland.It was governed by a governor who represented the king of England.

By 1850，there were several permanent settlements in New Zealand with a white population of about 27，000.After the settlers demanded representative government for New Zealand，the British Parliament passed the New Zealand Constitution Act in 1852 which provided for the establishment of a General Assembly for the colony.The Assembly had an elected House of Representatives and an appointed Legislative Council.The Act also divided New Zealand into six provinces，each of which would have an elected provincial council and an elected provincial governor.However，the Constitution did not give the Maori people any political rights.

The first General Assembly met in 1854，and by 1856 New Zealanders had established a responsible government，meaning the governor was generally obligated to respect policies adopted by the popularly⁃elected Assembly.From that time forward，the colonists themselves managed domestic affairs in New Zealand.