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The New Zealand Wars: A History of the Maori Campaigns and the Pioneering Period: Volume I (1845–64)

(Chapter 26) — The Government's Appeal to the Ngati-Whatua Tribe (1860)

(Chapter 26)

The Government's Appeal to the Ngati-Whatua Tribe (1860)

A hitherto unchronicled incident in the early stages of the Government's quarrel with the Waikato tribes was the despatch of Mr. S. Percy Smith (afterwards Surveyor-General) to the Kaipara district in order to enlist the assistance of the Ngati-Whatua Tribe. Mr. Smith was well acquainted with these people, having been surveying in the Kaipara and Northern Wairoa districts in 1859–60. The following is an extract from his MS. journal of reminiscences (furnished by his son, Mr. M. Crompton Smith, Chief Draughtsman, Survey Department):—

“At the time of my return to town (from survey work at the Kaipara) there was considerable anxiety in Auckland on account of the Waikato tribes, which, it had been reported, were about to make a descent on the page 448 city and drive the white people into the sea. Most of the troops were in Taranaki, and the forces to oppose such a raid were composed of the Volunteers and Militia, only partially trained. It was therefore decided to send for the Orakei and Kaipara people (Ngati-Whatua) to come to the defence of the city. As I knew the people well by this time, it was thought I was the best messenger to fetch them. On the 4th April, 1860, therefore I received instructions to return to Kaipara with all possible speed and bring the people in at once. They were then assembled at Northern Wairoa, engaged in peacemaking with Nga-Puhi. An hour after receiving my instructions I was away up the Wai-te-mata with three Maoris on this business. We travelled on over the portage through the night, arriving at Kapoai, a native village on the upper Kaipara, at 3 a.m., and, as soon as the tide served, started down the river for the Wairoa. I remember we all fell asleep on the way, but there was only a slight breeze, so no harm befell us. When we arrived at Tauhara we found all the natives had gone on to Te Kopuru, some forty miles up the river, where I found them encamped, on the site of the present Kopuru sawmills. In addition to about four hundred Ngati-Whatua, there were some two hundred Nga-Puhi, and they had built a square of temporary huts and tents with a large open space in the centre for speeches and war-dances.

“As soon as I arrived I was seated on a stool in the centre of this square, where the letter from the Government was read and I had to explain the necessity for the Auckland tribes returning at once to assist in the defence of the city. But they did not appear in any hurry, and declared that they could not leave till they had concluded the peace with Nga-Puhi, all of which was very annoying to me, as I had to impress them to make all haste back. Otherwise this great meeting was very interesting to me, for it was held with all the formality of ancient times—long speeches, war-dances, and all kinds of old ceremonies, not the least interesting of which were the hari-tuku-kai, or songs and dances of the women and young men as they advanced into the square, bringing the baskets of food held in their hands above their heads. My tent was pitched in the square, and generally one of the chiefs sat with me to explain the meaning of the various speeches and ceremonies. It was not until the 11th that peace was made and we all left, the Nga-Puhi going up the river, and the rest of us down stream to Tauhara; and a very fine sight it was to see our flotilla of about thirty boats and several fine war-canoes under sail. We were detained there by bad weather until the 18th, for the crossing inside Kaipara Heads is only to be undertaken in fine weather; it is so dangerous a place owing to the heavy seas which get up. It was not till the 20th that we arrived in town, and then most of my relieving force had melted away. Luckily the Waikato tribes had changed their minds and gone home, and so ended my urgent trip to fetch help to Auckland.

“Had the necessity arisen there is no doubt the Ngati-Whatua Tribe would willingly have fought against their old enemies the Waikato. And moreover, this tribe felt a kind of responsibility for the safety of the pakeha, for after a great meeting at Okahu (Orakei, on Auckland Harbour) they had sent an emissary to the Bay of Islands, to Governor Hobson, inviting him to occupy their country on the Isthmus of Auckland, and form his seat of Government there. [This was in the beginning of 1841; the Auckland Settlement had already been established, but the seat of Government was still at the Bay of Islands.] It was not entirely an unselfish offer on their part, for the Tamaki Isthmus had been the constant highway of hostile war-parties both from north and south for ages past, and they thought that if they could get the white man to settle there these hostile incursions would cease, which in fact they did, for ever. In these raids Ngati-Whatua always suffered.”