waned with respect to that of the nascent New Zealand Parliament. Dominion status followed in 1907, providing almost complete independence from the government of Britain and New Zealand separately joined the League of Nations in 1926. The Balfour declaration of 1926 emphasised the equal status of members of the British Empire and their free association in the British Commonwealth, (since 1949 the Commonwealth of Nations). With the 1931 Statute of Westminster, the complete independence of the Dominions was confirmed by the British Parliament, though this was not adopted in New Zealand until some time later, through the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947. Settlers Much of the migration to New Zealand took place from the constituent countries of the British Isles. This was facilitated from 1839 by the New Zealand Company founded for the purpose of colonization. The work of the Otago Association and Canterbury Association in establishing the primarily Scottish settlement in Dunedin and the primarily English settlement in Christchurch, respectively, encouraged further New Zealand-bound emigration from Britain. Around 80% of New Zealanders are of at least partially British ancestry, and an estimated 17% are entitled to British passports. Toponymy From the anglicisation of the Dutch appellation Nieuw Zeeland onward, historical ties with the United Kingdom have contributed substantially to New Zealand's toponymy. James Cook's early map combined local Māori place-names with a number of his own coinages. Subsequent settlers added references to places in United Kingdom, aristocratic sponsors, early British explorers, the Royal Family, battles in which the United Kingdom was involved and notable institutions such as Christ Church, Oxford. Many of these contributions have been retained in common usage, often alongside pre-existing Māori placenames. Law Through the first Act of the First New Zealand Parliament (in 1854), those applicable English laws that were enacted prior to the appointment of William Hobson, were adopted in New Zealand. As such, New Zealand inherited an uncodified constitution but, unlike the other former dominions, it has not been codified through an overarching document or documents. Enactments by the UK Parliament specifically and substantially relating to New Zealand include: Canterbury Settlement Lands Act 1850 Canterbury Association Act 1851 New Zealand Constitution Act 1846 (repealed 1852) New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 (repealed by the Constitution Act 1986) New Zealand Boundaries Act 1863 Colonial Laws Validity Act 1865 (repealed 1947) Statute of Westminster 1931 (leading to the New Zealand adoption Act - Statute of