This is the house where the British and the Maoris signed a treaty in 1840, the Maoris were given independence under British governship. "We are now one people" exclaimed the first British governor, James Busby as he shook hands with the more than 40 Maori chiefs that initally signed the treaty (subsequently over 500 maori chiefs signed the treaty). From a Maori perspective, they had realized they couldn't fight the British, and since the French were also around they simply choose the lesser of two evils....I mean - otherwise they would have been eating snails and driving Peugeots today ...