When did the early settlers come to New Zealand?

The question of when "early settlers" came to New Zealand depends on your definition of "settler".

Here's a breakdown:

* Polynesians: The first people to arrive in New Zealand were Polynesian voyagers, arriving around 1280 AD. These ancestors of the Māori people are considered the original settlers.

* European Explorers: The first recorded European to land in New Zealand was Abel Janszoon Tasman in 1642. However, it was James Cook who charted the New Zealand coastline in 1769 and introduced the island to the world.

* European Settlers: While European explorers came and went, it was not until the late 18th and early 19th centuries that Europeans began to establish permanent settlements. The Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 marked the beginning of British sovereignty and the influx of European settlers.

So, depending on what you consider an "early settler," the answer could be:

* 1280 AD: for Polynesian arrival

* 1642: for the first European landfall

* Late 18th - early 19th century: for the start of permanent European settlements

* 1840: for the Treaty of Waitangi and the beginning of large-scale European migration.