fraud
From 1840, Māori gradually became aware that they were no longer free to dispose of their lands as they chose. Under the terms of the Treaty/Te Tiriti, they could sell land only to the government. If they wanted to sell land and the government did not want to buy it, the land could not be sold to anyone else. If the government agreed to buy the land, officials could force Māori to sell at a low price, and then could sell it to settlers at a much higher price. Māori communities naturally resented these restrictions, and some wrote to the government to appeal against them.
Link to article History of the tiriti fraud (newsroom.co.nz)
