Legal Standing
The Treaty itself has never been ratified or enacted as statute law in New Zealand, although it does appear in authoritative collections of treaties, and is sometimes referred to in specific pieces of legislation. There are two major points of legal debate concerning the Treaty:
- Whether or not the Treaty was the means by which the British Crown gained sovereignty over New Zealand, and
- Whether or not the Treaty is binding on the Crown.
Read more about this topic: Treaty Of Waitangi
Famous quotes containing the words legal and/or standing:
“... whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to men, Emancipating all Nations, you insist upon retaining absolute power over wives. But you must remember that Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken—and notwithstanding all your wise Laws and Maxims we have it in our power not only to free ourselves but to subdue our Masters, and without violence throw both your natural and legal authority at our feet ...”
—Abigail Adams (1744–1818)
“Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Exodus 3:5.