To this day they regard it as the Magna Charta of their liberties.

They were fully aware that under it the supreme authority passed to the Queen; but they were quite able to understand that their tribal lands were guaranteed to them.

In other words, they were recognised as the owners in fee simple of the whole of New Zealand.

As one of them afterwards expressed it, "The shadow passes to the Queen, the substance stays with us." At the same time Governor Hobson had announced to the white settlers by proclamation that the Government would not recognise the validity of any of their land titles not given under the Queen's authority.

It is not easy to see how else he could have dealt with the land-sharks, of whom there had been an ugly rush from Sydney on the news of the coming annexation, and most of whom as promptly retreated on finding the proclamation to be a reality.