Story: Law

Petition about lawlessness

This petition was sent to King William IV by 13 Bay of Islands Māori chiefs in 1831. Its main aim was to seek the king’s protection against the French, who had recently sent a naval vessel to New Zealand. The chiefs were also concerned about intertribal conflict and misconduct by British subjects, and asked the king to defend them against lawlessness so everyone could live peaceably together.

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United Kingdom National Archives
Reference: CO201/221 Enclosure 8, no. 4

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How to cite this page:

Geoffrey Palmer, 'Law - New Zealand’s legal traditions', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/zoomify/36994/petition-about-lawlessness (accessed 26 April 2024)

Story by Geoffrey Palmer, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Oct 2016