The United Tribes of New Zealand was a loose confederation of Māori tribes based in the north of the North Island

North Island

The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

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The confederation was convened in 1834

1834 in New Zealand

-Regal and Vice Regal:*Head of State – King William IV*Governor of New South Wales – Major-General Sir Richard Bourke- Events :*March** – James Busby convenes a meeting of Māori chiefs from northern New Zealand...

 by British Resident James Busby

James Busby

James Busby is widely regarded as the "father" of the Australian wine industry, as he took the first collection of vine stock from Spain and France to Australia. Later he become a British Resident who traveled to New Zealand, involved in the drafting of the Declaration of the Independence of New...

. Busby was sent to New Zealand in 1833 by the Colonial Office

Colonial Office

Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...

 to serve as the official British Resident, and was anxious to set up a framework for trade between Māori and Europeans, the Māori chiefs of northern part of the North Island agreed to meet with him in March 1834.