Three of New Zealand's most precious documents have been moved in a covert operation that took place in the dead of night.
The 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, 1835 Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, and the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition were carefully transferred from Archives New Zealand to the National Library.
It was a delicate process which was months in the planning. The move was made with extreme caution.
Archivists considered every detail right down to vibrations and the humidity of the moving crates.
"It's not every day you're moving three completely irreplaceable and priceless archival documents," says chief archivist Marylin Little.
Ms Little says the documents have had difficult lives, suffering tears and fading.
The reason for the move is that the documents will soon be on show at the National Library as part of the permanent He Tohu exhibition.
That display as well as the move has cost around $7.2 million.
Archives New Zealand says the documents will be under tight security at the library as it tries to protect them from further degradation.
He Tohu will open to the public on May 20.
Newshub.
