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New Zealand–United Kingdom relations

Bilateral relations

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New Zealand was a British colony from 1841, and it supported Britain during major conflicts, including both World Wars. The relationship evolved as New Zealand moved toward independence, adopting the Statute of Westminster in 1947, and diversifying its foreign and economic policies.

The two countries remain related through mutual migration, shared military history, system of government, head of state, language, and membership in the Commonwealth (formerly British Empire).

History

Pre-independence relations

During his first voyage, British navigator James Cook reached New Zealand on 6 October 1769. Secret directives had been supplied to Cook for this portion of his expedition, instructing him to search firstly for the fabled Terra Australis and, if unsuccessful, to make instead as extensive an exploration of the New Zealand coast as resources allowed. The document that Cook was given declared that these missions were intended to further demonstrate Great Britain's maritime prowess, to bring honour to the Crown and to explore new opportunities for trade and navigation.

For almost sixty years, the country remained under no sovereign rule; however, the British made claims to areas of the country where significant trade between New Zealand and Australia existed to be part of the Colony of New South Wales. Formal British representation in New Zealand began with the posting of James Busby from Australia to the islands in 1833 as the British Resident, who was sent in response to the concerns of several northern Māori leaders over the lawlessness of local foreign settlers. Since 1816, several Māori chiefs had travelled to England and the colonies to explore options for the establishment of a Māori government, and in 1834, Busby drafted the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand, ratified by several northern chiefs in 1835. As part of this process, King William IV recognised and agreed to act as protector for the newly formed state.

The Treaty of Waitangi was formed, which was signed by several Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown on 6 February 1840. The British also knew of French intent to colonize New Zealand, and British sovereignty was hurriedly declared later in May of that year, just before the first French colony ships arrived in Akaroa. New Zealand became a British Colony in 1841 and, eleven years later, the British Parliament passed the first fully implemented Act to grant self-governance to the new colony. Formal British influence gradually diminished, as the power of successive Governors waned with respect to that of the nascent New Zealand Parliament. Dominion status followed in 1907, providing almost complete independence from the government of Britain, and New Zealand separately joined the League of Nations in 1926. The Balfour declaration of 1926 emphasised the equal status of members of the British Empire and their free association in the British Commonwealth (since 1949 the Commonwealth of Nations). With the 1931 Statute of Westminster, the complete independence of the Dominions was confirmed by the British Parliament, though this was not adopted in New Zealand until sometime later, through the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947.

Settlers

Much of the migration to New Zealand took place from the constituent countries of the British Isles. This was facilitated from 1839 by the New Zealand Company, founded for colonization. The work of the Otago Association and Canterbury Association in establishing the primarily Scottish settlement in Dunedin and the primarily English settlement in Christchurch, respectively, encouraged further New Zealand-bound emigration from Britain.

Around 80% of New Zealanders are of at least partially British ancestry, and an estimated 17% are entitled to British passports.

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