WELLINGTON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand held a national ceremony on Wednesday marking the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on Feb. 6, 1840, which was considered as the founding document of the nation.
The document tries to clarify issues regarding relations between the Maori and European settlers.
On early Wednesday morning, more than 1,000 members of the public attended the ceremony in Waitangi in the Bay of Islands on the North Island, the then place for the signing of the treaty.
The ceremony was attended by several political dignitaries, and it has been the second time for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to deliver a speech on the marae, Maori's meeting place at Waitangi.
Ardern said she will continue to narrow the gap between Maori and European decedents.
"Maori unemployment is the lowest that it has been in a decade, and yet the distance between us is still too high. We have more to do," Ardern said while stressing the importance of improving employment and reducing crime rates for Maori.
She also mentioned that the government's benefit system is improved to cover more Maori people on winter energy payment and more Maori families have gained benefits from the government's Working for Families program.
