Joe Trinder Mana News editor

The Prime minister has justified his comments recently in regards to peaceful settlement of New Zealand evidently there is a difference between settlement and colonisation.

“What is absolutely true is that during the period of colonisation, during the period of 1845 to 1875, there was obviously significant conflict in the New Zealand wars and everyone understands that but that was a period of colonisation [as opposed to settlement].” John Key

Mr Key said he defined settlement as the point at which the Treaty was signed.

At the point In 1840 when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed , Two thousand British immigrants lived peacefully under Maori authority.  The colonisation of New Zealand increased because of an invitation by the  Treaty of Waitangi for British colonists to immigrate to New Zealand.

“Her Majesty’s Subjects who have already settled in New Zealand and the rapid extension of Emigration both from Europe and Australia”  Treaty of Waitangi

The actual definition of the word “settlement”.

“A place, typically one which has previously been uninhabited, where people establish a community.”

New Zealand was settled in approximately the 13th century by east Polynesian explorers that would later identify themselves as Maori the late comers British colonists are in no way settling, they are colonists because in 1840 New Zealand was already inhabited in every part of the country.

Many New Zealanders believe in an alternative history that the settlement of  New Zealand  was a peaceful event where the indigenous people should be grateful. unfortunately the country’s Prime minister is also under this impression and that is disappointing.

Using the word “settlement” diminishes the brutal colonisation of New Zealand by putting a spin on history that British colonisation was a overwhelmingly positive experience for Maori . The harsh reality the signatories of the Treaty of Waitangi were deceived by the John Keys predecessor Sir George Grey as he confiscated large tracts of private real estate to appease land greedy British colonists.