Waitangi Day 1968

Speaking at this year's Waitangi Day Celebrations on 6 February, New Zealand's new Governor-General, Sir Arthur Porritt, said that when he recently re-read the Treaty, he was amazed at its simplicity and its symbolic significance.

‘It's moral purpose was, and is, crystal clear, whatever may have been its validity as a legal document, a matter on which I am most certaintly not qualified to express an opinion. It was a promissory note of mutual trust. The Maoris, as British subjects, were not only to be constitutionally ruled by the Queen, but also officially protected by her.

‘Captain Hobson became not only governor of the new colony, but also consul to the Maori chiefs,’ he said.

Sir Arthur said that the fruits of this somewhat philanthropic document were before us today, and a study of them could reasonably bring pride and satisfaction, and that much of the fruit had ripened well, although all of it had not yet matured. He said he felt New Zealanders should look even further forward to a time beyond today's generation when a

second crop of fruit would be forthcoming from ‘that tree so securely planted at the time of the signing of the treaty’. This would not come about automatically, or even by increase in population, power and prestige but by deliberate hard work and sound planning on the part of New Zealand's combined and united two great peoples.

In expressing his pleasure at being at the ceremony, Sir Arthur said, ‘Nothing more than this great gathering has brought me back more fully to my native country. Nothing will give me greater satisfaction during my term of office than to do all in my power to further the common interests of and yet greater understanding between our two peoples.

‘I only wish like Sir Bernard Fergusson I had the gift of tongues. An even more primitive sense thans peech, however, is feeling, and this, I can assure you, I have in full measure.

‘From that full measure, may I on this New Zealand's day at Waitangi, wish you all everything of the best—health, happiness, and, dare I say, prosperity for the coming year.’

Speaking on behalf of the Maori people, Mr J. C. Henare of Motatau, in welcoming Sir Arthur as one of New Zealand's most distinguished sons, now occupying the highest position in the land as the Queen's representative, asked Sir Arthur to convey to the Queen the affection and undivided loyalty of her Maori people.

The Waioeka and Ngapotiki Maori clubs, combined to form the ‘Whakatohea’ group, performed the official welcoming ceremony and entertained the large crowd. For the first time, the whole ceremony was shown live on television throughout the country.