5. What was the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand?

The so-called Confederation of United Tribes of New Zealand was the creation of British Resident James Busby, who believed that a French eccentric, Baron Charles de Thierry, was part of a French plot to annex New Zealand. He decided to declare New Zealand independent under the sovereignty of the United Tribes of New Zealand. He presented his Declaration of Independence to the chiefs on October 28, 1835, but only 39 chiefs signed. The so-called Confederation of United Tribes was abandoned without a meeting and in face of continued fighting between confederation members.