Do the people of New Zealand like me think it is time to stand up and say enough of this ‘cogovernance and partnership' lie being used by the Labour Government to further their separatist agenda quoting ‘we must abide by the principles and partnership of the Treaty of Waitangi'?

Because the Chiefs never agreed to cede their sovereignty, as their reason. Well, sorry. They did. Read the transcripts published daily by the ‘Maori Messenger' newspaper of the Kohimarama Conference of 1860.

You can find them on the web. Here is the quote by Paora Tuhaere that negates their claim: 'This is my speech to you, a word respecting the Treaty of Waitangi, the covenant now spoken of. The union of the two races commenced with it. By it the sovereignty of these Islands was ceded to the Queen”. From some of the Chiefs: 'I shall side with the Queen and the Governor”. 'The words of the Governor are good. Let the Queen be above us all”. ‘........the acknowledgement of the Queen as Sovereign has been agreed by all”. Tamati Waka, Ngapuhi, spoke and ended his speech with '...........Therefore I say I know no Sovereign but the Queen and I never shall know any other”. In the summing up by the paper this was said. 'Therefore we say that the white man came not to destroy the Maori, but to raise him up out of the darkness of barbarism and to impart to him all the blessings of civilisation”. What more evidence do you need?

Helen Weston. Katikati.