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not to hear plainly what Mr. Williams had said. Seeing this, I, who stood next, said to Mr. Williams, “Pray, sir, write it down first, as it is an important sentence.” Then Mr. Williams, taking paper and pencil, proceeded to do so. The paper, when written on, was passed to the Governor for the Roman Catholic bishop’s inspection, who, having read it, said in English, “This will do very well;” on which the paper was returned to Mr. Williams, who read the same to the Natives.
The slip of paper contained the following words: “E mea ana te Kawana, ko nga whakapono katoa, o Ingarani, o nga Weteriana, o Roma, me te ritenga Maori hoki, e tiakina ngatahitia e ia” (“The Governor says the several faiths [beliefs] of England, of the Wesleyans, of Rome, and also the Maori custom, shall be alike protected by him.”) I got Mr. Williams (though with some little hesitation on his part) to insert “me te ritenga Maori hoki” (“and also the Maori custom, or usage”) as a correlative to that “of Rome.”
All being now ready for the signing, the Native chiefs were called on in a body to come forward and sign the document. Not one, however, made any move nor seemed desirous of doing so till Mr. Busby, hitting on an expedient, proposed calling them singly by their names as they stood in his (private) list, in which list the name of Hoani Heke (known, too, to be the most favourable towards the treaty) happened to be the first—at least, of those who were this day present. On his being called by name to come and sign, he advanced to the table on which the treaty lay. At this moment I, addressing myself to the Governor, said,—
“Will your Excellency allow me to make a remark or two before that chief signs the treaty?”
The Governor: “Certainly, sir.”
Mr. Colenso: “May I ask your Excellency whether it is your opinion that these Natives understand the articles of the treaty which they are now called upon to sign? I this morning”——
