Treaty tour to cost $1.2 million

A $1.2 million Treaty of Waitangi exhibition will visit 35 locations and be seen by an estimated 250,000 people.

The exhibition, created jointly by the State Services Commission's Treaty of Waitangi Information Unit, Te Papa and the National Library, is part of the Treaty of Waitangi Information Programme launched by the Government in 2003.

State Services Minister Trevor Mallard said yesterday the exhibition would give people a better understanding of where they came from.

A survey commissioned by the information unit found 57 per cent of people believed greater knowledge about the treaty would increase understanding of our country and its history.

"I think New Zealanders are becoming increasingly aware of and interested in the historical events that make us New Zealand," he said.

The exhibition will run in tandem with a series of community discussions, with details of both yet to be formalised.

- NZPA