Treaty of Waitangi writing #3

 

The text of the treaty includes a preamble and three articles. It is bilingual, with the Māori text inaccurately translated from the English language. Article one of the Māori text grants governance rights to the Crown while the English text cedes "all rights and powers of sovereignty" to the Crown. Reasons why chiefs signed the treaty included wanting controls on sales of Māori land to Europeans, and on European settlers. They also wanted to trade with Europeans, and believed the new relationship with Britain would stop fighting between tribes.