This petition was sent to King William IV by 13 Bay of Islands Māori chiefs in 1831. Its main aim was to seek the king’s protection against the French, who had recently sent a naval vessel to New Zealand. The chiefs were also concerned about intertribal conflict and misconduct by British subjects, and asked the king to defend them against lawlessness so everyone could live peaceably together.
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United Kingdom National Archives
Reference: CO201/221 Enclosure 8, no. 4
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