by John Robinson

The arrival of British rule in New Zealand in the wake of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 did not immediately spread throughout the country as qualified manpower was scarce. Some Maori in the Waikato were dissatisfied that lawlessness still prevailed in the back areas and so the idea of having their own "king" and government was floated. Not all Maori - not even in the Waikato - accepted the idea.