<P> From the 1790s , the waters around New Zealand were visited by British , French and American whaling , sealing and trading ships . Their crews traded European goods , including guns and metal tools , for Māori food , water , wood , flax and sex . Māori were reputed to be enthusiastic and canny traders , even though the levels of technology , institutions and property rights differed greatly from the standards in European societies . Although there were some conflicts , such as the killing of French explorer Marc - Joseph Marion du Fresne in 1772 and the destruction of the Boyd in 1809 , most contact between Māori and European was peaceful . </P>
<P> From the 1790s , the waters around New Zealand were visited by British , French and American whaling , sealing and trading ships . Their crews traded European goods , including guns and metal tools , for Māori food , water , wood , flax and sex . Māori were reputed to be enthusiastic and canny traders , even though the levels of technology , institutions and property rights differed greatly from the standards in European societies . Although there were some conflicts , such as the killing of French explorer Marc - Joseph Marion du Fresne in 1772 and the destruction of the Boyd in 1809 , most contact between Māori and European was peaceful . </P>
when did the british came to new zealand
when did the british came to new zealand
1790s
1790s