A petition calling for a new public holiday to remember the Land Wars is being welcomed by political leaders as a good way to recognise a significant time in our history.

The 11,000-signature petition was delivered to Parliament today asking for the holiday as a way of commemorating the events.

The Land Wars, otherwise known as the New Zealand Wars, were a series of armed conflicts between the New Zealand Government and central North Island iwi.

An estimated 3000 people died during the conflicts in Taranaki, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, most of them Maori.

Some iwi were defending tribal lands they did not want to sell to the Government, while others were aligned to Government forces.

Labour Party leader Andrew Little said he likes the idea, but it needs to go in stages.

"I think the first step is to get acceptance. This is something that we ought to formally commemorate."

However Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson says improved learning about the Land Wars while still at school is as a better alternative than creating a public holiday.

"Well I don't think we need another public holiday, as it were. You don't need to have a day off work to have a national day of commemoration."