Ᾱwhina continued to work with the Kīngitanga, petitioning Parliament in their quest for justice. Native Minister Bryce met with Tāwhiao and tried to bully him into accepting deals that were offering progressively less and less than what Grey and McLean had laid on the table. Tāwhiao and his advisers decided it would be better to seek legal redress from the British government with the help of the four Māori members in the New Zealand Parliament. Together they drafted a letter pleading the desperation of their situation and sent it to the British Parliament, via the Aboriginals Protection Society. The British Government referred it back again to the New Zealand colonial government and Native Minister Bryce dismissed it as entirely without substance and assured the Colonial Office that the Māoris had been treated fairly.
Tāwhiao was not surprised by this response and had been making preparations to go to London and call on the Queen herself. His advisers reminded him that a deputation of Northern iwi had already taken a petition to London and were denied an audience with the Queen, thanks to the lobbying of New Zealand Government officials. The Secretary of State for the Colonies heard the grievances and was sympathetic but ruled that it was a matter for the Colonial Government. But Tāwhiao was undeterred. They were chiefs but he was a king.
Tāwhiao led a deputation to London with the MP, Te Wheoro, who had been a loyalist in the wars with the British, three other chiefs and the loyalist half Māori – half European, George Skidmore, as interpreter. They were comfortably accommodated at Demeter House, Montague Place, in Russell Square, which became the Māori High Commission for the four-month duration of their visit. The party had a busy itinerary of sightseeing, civic receptions and theatres, although Tāwhiao was confined at home by sickness for a time. He was troubled by rheumatism and a cold, for which he chewed lozenges, and smoked cigars.
The tattooed King of the Māoris, with his long pounamu ear pendants, was an object of great interest in high society and much feted in London and in the British press. He was feted also by British temperance leagues for his support of their cause. When Tāwhiao and his entourage had visited Grey to obtain letters of introduction in preparation for the trip to London, Grey, being mindful of Tāwhiao’s weakness for alcohol, had them all sign a pledge to abstain for twelve months and Grey’s niece sewed the blue ribbon temperance insignia on their tweed jackets. They were true to their word and drank only ginger ale and none of the champagne proffered on many civic occasions. At a temperance fete at the National League at the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, Tāwhiao spoke of the damage alcohol had done to his people and announced his intention to banish drink from his country, for which he was enthusiastically cheered.
The deputation received a sympathetic hearing from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Derby, but were not successful in meeting the Queen. The New Zealand government representative in England and former Native Minister, Francis Dillon Bell, advised the Colonial Office that Tāwhiao had “very limited authority among the Māori of New Zealand and was not of fit character to meet with Her Majesty the Queen,” and worked behind the scenes to ensure no such meeting would take place.
It took a full six weeks before their petition or ‘memorial’ was fully prepared and they were able to get an audience with Lord Derby. Derby introduced himself and John Gorst, Tory MP, formerly Waikato Civil commissioner. Tāwhiao introduced himself and his retinue with handshakes all round. He carried himself with confidence and dignity and shook hands with everyone at all formal occasions, including the footmen, which his hosts considered an amusing gaffe.
Derby asked how they had enjoyed the Grand Military Tournament at the Agricultural Hall. Skidmore replied on behalf of the group, (except Te Wheoro who did not attend) that they enjoyed the riding display, but then added, “We were not much interested in the military manoeuvres. We have seen more than enough of British soldiers in New Zealand.”
“Quite so,” Gorst agreed, as he had witnessed the invasion of the Waikato for himself and was sympathetic to the Kīngitanga “But I hope you have been enjoying your stay in London.”
“Yes, we have been treated well and seen many interesting things,” said Skidmore, and Tāwhiao added, “I enjoyed the opera and the ballet.”
“Good, good, and so to business,” said Derby rising to receive the memorial.
Discussion of the petition ensued, with Tāwhiao stressing their allegiance to the Queen and the Treaty of Waitangi and the necessity of bringing their petition before the Queen. “The New Zealand government has trampled on our rights,” he said, “and they ignore our petitions.”
“But you are a member of the New Zealand Parliament, are you not, Mr Te Wheoro?” said Derby.
“I am,” said Te Wheoro, “but the Māori members are ignored, and we are sorely under represented. There is provision for only four MPs to represent all of Māoridom.”
“I see you have serious grievances particularly with regard to land,” Derby observed.
“They were driven off their land in an unprovoked attack and their lands confiscated,” said Gorst.
“Yes, the land seized by the Government must be returned to us, to Māori ownership,” said Tāwhiao. “And Māori judges should be appointed to the Native Land Court, not the European judges who use the Court to take more land.”
“Then there is the matter of political autonomy,” said Derby.
“This was guaranteed by the Treaty,” Tāwhiao said. “We want to be able to legislate for ourselves and for Her Majesty to appoint a native chief as Commissioner.”
“Perfectly reasonable and responsible,” said Gorst. “I’ve been an advocate for Irish Home Rule, and I feel the same about Māori self-rule.”
“And what of the cost of running your own administration?” said Derby.
Tāwhiao replied, “A large part of the taxes levied on us by central Government should be returned to us to cover the cost of our administration.”
After some further discussion Lord Derby concluded, “Her Majesty’s Government agrees that the Treaty obligations should be respected, but the authority and administration of the law has passed to the New Zealand authorities. We cannot dictate to the New Zealand Parliament.”
“However,” Derby continued, “I am confident that the New Zealand Government will not fail to protect and promote the welfare of the natives by a just administration of the law and by a generous consideration of all your reasonable representations, and that is what I shall communicate to The New Zealand Parliament.”
Parliament was duly informed and the activities of King Tāwhiao’s deputation in London were regularly reported in the New Zealand press. Tāwhiao took heart from Lord Derby’s response, as their ‘representations’ were most certainly reasonable, and he expected that the New Zealand Government would now be forced to comply with the requests of their petition. The New Zealand Government, however, had no trouble with ignoring Lord Derby’s ‘advice’. New Zealand Governor Jervois reported to the Colonial Office that “the natives have been exceptionally well treated and have nothing to complain about.”
Tāwhiao and the Kīngitangi continued their political activities and petitioned the Queen to approve their proposal for a separate Māori Parliament in New Zealand. All to no avail. A number of tribal chiefs, who did not recognise Tāwhiao’s authority and his claim to govern the entire country, took a different approach and formed a separate, independent Māori Parliament, the Paremata, or Te Kotahitanga, as they were also known. Together with the four Māori Members of Parliament of the constituted New Zealand government, Te Kotahitanga organised and agitated for redress of injustices suffered by Māori and return of confiscated land. The New Zealand Parliament ignored most of the petitions presented by the Paremata, and any bills presented, such as the Native Rights Bill, were defeated and Māori land continued to be alienated.
The Kīngitanga did not join the Kotahitanga Parliament, nor did the followers of Te Whiti. Tāwhiao continued to claim sovereignty and issued an edict banishing Europeans from New Zealand. “The Governor, the Government and all Government officers must leave the island,” he said. “The island is mine. The blacksmiths, the carpenters and storekeepers may remain. I will look after them all. All other Pākehā must leave this island and return to England.”