Treaty_house
Treaty House
Historic building in New Zealand
The Treaty House (Māori: Whare Tiriti) at Waitangi in Northland, New Zealand, is the former house of the British Resident in New Zealand, James Busby. The Treaty of Waitangi, the document that established the British Colony of New Zealand, was signed in the grounds of the Treaty House on 6 February 1840.
The grounds had previously been the site of other important events, such as the signing of the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand in 1835. The house and grounds remained in private hands until 1932, when they were purchased by Governor-General Viscount Bledisloe and donated to the nation. They were dedicated as a national reserve in 1934, in a ceremony attended by thousands of people, both Māori and Pākehā, and including the Māori King. It was the site of another major event in 1940, when the centenary of the Treaty signing was celebrated.[1] From 1947 the grounds became the site of annual Waitangi Day celebrations.