The need for a flag of New Zealand first became clear when the merchant ship Sir George Murray, built in the Hokianga, was seized by customs officials in the port of Sydney.

The declaration is displayed at the National Library of New Zealand, as part of the He Tohu exhibition, along with the Treaty of Waitangi and the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition.

They agreed to meet in Waitangi each year to frame laws and invited the southern tribes of New Zealand to "lay aside their private animosities" and join them.

We, the absolute leaders of the tribes (iwi) of New Zealand (Nu Tireni) to the north of Hauraki (Thames) having assembled in the Bay of Islands (Tokerau) on 28th October 1835.

The sovereignty/kingship (Kīngitanga) and the mana from the land of the Confederation of New Zealand are here declared to belong solely to the true leaders (Tino Rangatira) of our gathering, and we also declare that we will not allow (tukua) any other group to frame laws (wakarite ture), nor any Governorship (Kawanatanga) to be established in the lands of the Confederation, unless (by persons) appointed by us to carry out (wakarite) the laws (ture) we have enacted in our assembly (huihuinga).

We, the true leaders have agreed to meet in a formal gathering (rūnanga) at Waitangi in the autumn (Ngahuru) of each year to enact laws (wakarite ture) that justice may be done (kia tika ai te wakawakanga), so that peace may prevail and wrong-doing cease and trade (hokohoko) be fair.

We agree that a copy of our declaration should be written and sent to the King of England to express our appreciation (aroha) for this approval of our flag.

And because we are showing friendship and care for the Pākehā who live on our shores, who have come here to trade (hokohoko), we ask the King to remain as a protector (matua) for us in our inexperienced statehood (tamarikitanga), lest our authority and leadership be ended (kei whakakahoretia tō mātou Rangatiratanga).

The Codicil We are the rangatira who, although we did not attend the meeting due to the widespread flooding or other reasons, fully agree with He Whakaputanga Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene and join the sacred Confederation.

The original English text, as was drafted by James Busby and sent to the New South Wales government and the Colonial Office in Britain is as follows: Declaration of Independence of New Zealand 1.

They also agree to send a copy of this Declaration to His Majesty, the King of England, to thank him for his acknowledgement of their flag; and in return for the friendship and protection they have shown, and are prepared to show, to such of his subjects as have settled in their country, or resorted to its shores for the purposes of trade, they entreat that he will continue to be the parent of their infant State, and that he will become its Protector from all attempts upon its independence.

(Signed) JAMES BUSBY, British Resident at New Zealand.The Māori text of the declaration was made by the tino rangatira (hereditary chiefs) of the northern part of New Zealand.

I perceive that the chiefs at the same time came to the resolution to send a copy of their Declaration to His Majesty, to thank him for his acknowledgment of their Flag, and to entreat that, in return for the friendship and protection which they have shown, and are prepared to show, to such British subjects as have settled in their country or resorted to its shores for the purposes of trade, His Majesty will continue to be the parent of their infant State, and its Protector from all attempts on its independence.

[11] It is notable that the Treaty of Waitangi was made between the British Crown and "the chiefs of the United Tribes of New Zealand" in recognition of their independent sovereignty.

Historians agree[citation needed] the declaration had limited significance and was primarily an attempt by James Busby to portray a settled form of government, one that did not then exist.

[17] The first stage of the report was released in November 2014,[18][19] and found that Māori chiefs never agreed to give up their sovereignty when they signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.

[20][21][22] Tribunal manager Julie Tangaere said at the report's release to the Ngapuhi claimants: Your tupuna [ancestors] did not give away their mana at Waitangi, at Waimate, at Mangungu.

In 2015, the documents were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Aotearoa New Zealand Ngā Mahara o te Ao register.