"Look, we had to create a treaty to protect Māori from European decimation. The damned French would have behaved no differently than the New Zealand Company and don't attempt to tell me different. Our response then was reactionary. The result of those treaties is that New Zealand is now a place where Māori have to adjust to European influence. We couldn't prevent Europeans from coming, just as Māori couldn't prevent them from coming. We did the next best thing," stated Busby with conviction.
"And what could have been the alternative?" Hobson asked. He leaned forward to listen.
"Now that, my friend, is the real issue. We could have created a place where the Europeans had to adjust to Māori. And I'm sorry I didn't have the vision five years ago to see it."
"Māori came to New Zealand for e
