The document discusses several proposed flags for New Zealand. It begins by describing New Zealand's first official flag from 1834 and notes that it featured the St. George's cross due to English missionary influence. It then summarizes the current national flag, explaining the symbols of the Union Jack, Southern Cross, and royal blue background. Subsequent sections outline alternative proposals over the years, including a Māori flag from 1989 featuring a koru pattern, a silver fern design that won a newspaper competition, and combinations of elements from existing flags meant to recognize both UK and Polynesian ties.

1. NEW ZEALAND FLAGS

2. FIRST FLAG
New Zealand's first official flag was this one, the flag of the United Tribes. It was
selected on 20 March 1834 by 25 chiefs from the far north who, with their followers, had
gathered at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. A number of missionaries, settlers and the
commanders of ten British and three American ships were also present. The official
British Resident, James Busby, spoke to those gathered and then asked each chief to
come forward in turn and select a flag. The son of one of the chiefs recorded the votes
The preferred design, a flag already used by the Church Missionary Society, received
out of the 25 votes, with the other two designs receiving 10 and 3 votes, respectively.
Busby declared the chosen flag the national flag of New Zealand and had it hoisted o
central flagpole, accompanied by a 21-gun salute from HMS Alligator. The influence of
English missionaries is clear in the use of the St George cross.

3. SECOND FLAG
The New Zealand flag is the symbol of the realm, government
and people of New Zealand. Its royal blue background is
derived from the ensign of the Blue Squadron of the Royal
Navy. The stars of the Southern Cross emphasise this country's
location in the South Pacific Ocean. The Union Jack in the first
quarter recognises New Zealand's historical origins as a British
colony and dominion.

4. MAORI FLAG
In 1989 the government allocated $20 million to commemorating the
sesquicentenary (150th anniversary) of the signing of the Treaty of
Waitangi. In response a coalition of Māori independence
organisations, collectively known as Te Kotahitanga, agreed to
seek ‘creative ways’ to inform Māori about breaches of the Treaty.
Te Kawariki, an organisation based in the Far North, came up with
the idea of running a competition for a national Māori flag, with
the winning design to be ready in time for the 1990

5. KORU FLAG
he koru flag, represents an uncurling fern frond in the form of a
stylised koru, a traditional Māori carving pattern. This flag is
occasionally seen around the country.[69]

6. NEWSPAPER FLAG
This proposal won a Wellington newspaper flag competition in July 2004
and appeared on TV3 in 2005 after winning a poll which included the present
national flag.[72] The fern represents the people of New Zealand and the Southern
Cross represents the location of New Zealand. The blue represents the ocean, the
red represents the Māori and wartime sacrifices, and white represents the "land of

7. COMBINED FLAG
This proposal was displayed in the New Zealand Herald on 9 May
2002, at the time of the centenary of the current flag. It combines
elements from the national flag, the Tino rangatiratanga flag and
the silver fern flag. This combination looked to links with both the
United Kingdom and Polynesia.[70][71]

8. KORU FERN FLAG
he Koru Fern combines two iconic New Zealand symbols: the silver
fern and the koru. It is one design currently helping stimulate debate
and has been suggested to the New Zealand Government as an
alternate design for the New Zealand Flag.

9. NEW ZEALAND CHOICES

10. MY CHOICE STAY NORMAL