Monarchy in New Zealand - History

History

Monarchy in New Zealand dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century.

After Captain Cook's exploration of New Zealand in the late eighteenth century, an increasing number of European settlers came to New Zealand. In 1833, with growing lawlessness amongst traders and settlers, the British government appointed James Busby as British Resident to protect British trading interests.

Despite Busby's presence, trouble increased. In 1840, the British Government sent Captain William Hobson to New Zealand as Lieutenant Governor, to acquire the sovereignty of New Zealand, by way of a treaty with the native Māori chiefs.

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840, at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. Over five hundred Māori chiefs signed the treaty as it was taken around the country during the next eight months.

Following the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the islands of New Zealand became a British colony.

In 1907, New Zealand achieved the status of Dominion, which meant it was a country of the British Empire and later the Commonwealth of Nations, with autonomy in domestic and foreign affairs. The term fell into disuse after the Second World War.

In 1917, letters patent of George V set out the powers, duties and responsibilities of the Governor-General (as the Sovereign's representative) and the Executive Council.

In 1926, the Balfour Declaration at the Imperial Conference in London confirmed the status of New Zealand, along with that of Australia, the Irish Free State, Canada, South Africa and Newfoundland, as self-governing Dominions under the British Crown.

The Statute of Westminster in 1931, an act of the British Parliament, gave legal form to this declaration. It gave New Zealand and other Dominions the authority to make their own laws. New Zealand ratified the Statute in 1947, after the passing of the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947

The Royal Titles Act 1953 first introduced a New Zealand royal title for use by the Queen, and the Royal Titles Act 1974 altering the style borne by the Queen in New Zealand.

A personal flag for use by the Queen in New Zealand was adopted in 1962. It features the shield design of the New Zealand coat of arms in the form of an oblong or square. Superimposed in the centre is a dark blue roundel bearing an initial E surmounted by a Royal crown within a gold chaplet of roses.

More recently, the Constitution Act 1986 has become the principal formal statement of New Zealand's constitution. This Act recognises that the Queen, the Sovereign in right of New Zealand, is the Head of State of New Zealand and that the Governor-General appointed by her is her representative. Each can, in general, exercise all the powers of the other. However the appointment of the governor-general is only done by the Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister.