<P> The company 's board members included aristocrats , members of Parliament and a prominent magazine publisher , who used their political connections to ceaselessly lobby the British government to achieve its aims . The company indulged in many questionable land purchases from Māori , in many cases reselling land it did not own , and launched elaborate , grandiose and sometimes fraudulent advertising campaigns . It vigorously attacked those it perceived as its opponents -- chiefly the British Colonial Office , successive governors of New Zealand , the Church Missionary Society and prominent missionary the Rev. Henry Williams -- and it stridently opposed the Treaty of Waitangi , which was an obstacle to the company obtaining the greatest possible amount of New Zealand land at the cheapest price . The company , in turn , was frequently criticised by the Colonial Office and New Zealand Governors for its `` trickery '' and lies . Missionaries in New Zealand were also critical of the company , fearing its activities would lead to the `` conquest and extermination '' of Maori inhabitants . </P>
<P> The company 's board members included aristocrats , members of Parliament and a prominent magazine publisher , who used their political connections to ceaselessly lobby the British government to achieve its aims . The company indulged in many questionable land purchases from Māori , in many cases reselling land it did not own , and launched elaborate , grandiose and sometimes fraudulent advertising campaigns . It vigorously attacked those it perceived as its opponents -- chiefly the British Colonial Office , successive governors of New Zealand , the Church Missionary Society and prominent missionary the Rev. Henry Williams -- and it stridently opposed the Treaty of Waitangi , which was an obstacle to the company obtaining the greatest possible amount of New Zealand land at the cheapest price . The company , in turn , was frequently criticised by the Colonial Office and New Zealand Governors for its `` trickery '' and lies . Missionaries in New Zealand were also critical of the company , fearing its activities would lead to the `` conquest and extermination '' of Maori inhabitants . </P>
who did the nz company buy land off before selling it to settlers
who did the nz company buy land off before selling it to settlers
Māori
Māori