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Te Mana o Riria

The following article comes from a book soon to be published which is a biography of a famous Maori M.P., Wi Pere (1837-1915). It was written by Joe Teka ni Pere and is entitled Te Mana o Riria.

Born in Turanga-nui-a-Kiwa (“The place where ‘Kiwa’ the Captain of the Takitimu canoe stood.”) now called Gisborne, on March 7th, 1837. Wiremu (Wi) Pere was one of Poverty Bay’s illustrious sons.

Wi Pere himself, becamse an outstanding figure amongst the Povery Bay and East Coast Maoris. He gained a wide knowledge of Maori traditions and customs, and proved an able spokesman in proceedings before the Native Land Court, was an outstanding orator in the use of the Maori langauge within the House of Representatives. His interpreter had the task of translating into English what had been narrated by Wi Pere:

“I think the House will agree with me that we have listened to the most delicious speech we have heard so far this session, both for its candour and eloquence.”

“I am impressed with the outspoken utterances of the Honourable Member and the ring of earnestness in his eulogy on the Government P01icy....”

(J.M. Taylor, Christchurch City, 1898. Public Works Estimate)

Wi Pere served for some years in both branches of the Legislature,

fighting for the rights of his Maori people, particularly in Land legislation. Even in boyhood, he was noted for his shrewdness. As a youth Wi Pere was selected by the elders as a young man of special intelligence and was carefully taught and trained in Maori history and genealogy, which information was handed down through the generations by word of mouth. He was taught all the genealogies of all the tribes of the district and the responsibility of the whole of this knowledge and the history of the tribal fighting was entrusted to him. He attended the Special ‘Wananga’ or Maori school of learning to which only selected ones could attend.

When he reached school age his father Thomas Halbert an early settler visited Riria, with the object of persuading her that it would be in the lad’s best interest if he was sent to school in Auckland. Riria did not take kindly to the idea that Wi would be separated from her, but promised to consider the matter. However, it did not come to anything, as she and her tribe had a strong control over his future education. He had identified very strongly with his Mother who had consistently encouraged him in her culture and tradition. It has been assumed by his descendants that Wi Pere received some schooling at the Whakato Mission Station. Be that as it may, he proved reluctant to introduce English words in conversation, many of his addresses were always delivered in Maori.

Mother’s influence Wi Pere describes the influence of his mother as follows: “My mother was a woman of great mana over the whole of the district; her name was Riria Mauaranui, a chieftainess of great influence of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki and Rongowhakaata tribe.

“In the year 1848, when I was only 11 years of age, war broke out between the two tribes Rongowhakaata and Te Aitanga a Mahaki, and as both sides had become possessed of the new weapon “te pu pakeha”, or the musket, it looked as if the breach would result in serious slaughter. My mother sent me in her name, to the leader to deliver her message to them. My mother’s words were: “Tell these people that no good will come of their fighting, only death and sorrow to both sides. Let Almighty God judge between both sides.”

I went and delivered the message to both sides and after consultation, my mother’s advice was taken and the war parties returned to their homes. Afterwards at a meeting between the hostile chiefs, among whom were Raharuhi Rukupo, Paratene Turangi, Wiremu Kingi, Paea, Kemara Manatahi, Pita Ngungu and Te Waaka Marotiri, I was thanked for the part I had taken in avoiding trouble between the two tribes.

I was frequently sent to settle minor disputes which were constantly arising and never failed to avert bloodshed.”

In 1869 Wi Pere threatened to oppose the award of Crown grants to all European applicants and that he favoured the re-purchase of all pakehaheld properties at the price which had been given for them, he was a staunch repudiationist and had linked up with Henry Matua in opposing selling of Maori land to European settlers.

Upon his election to Parliament in 1884 as the representative for the Eastern Maori district, he attracted considerable attention. In one pen portrait which was published concerning him he was described in these terms:

“His features are decidedly European his forehead is broad and intellectual, his nose long and straight, his eyes black and piercing; his black hair is parted in the middle; his beard is abundant, black and glossy. He speaks indifferently.” The writer drawing upon a vivid imagination continued: “His mother fled with him into the wilds, where he lived on roots and grew up as a little savage. What a change in one man’s life. The little wild root-eating savage has been transformed into a grand courteously mannered Member of Parliament.”

Some of the Press notices concerning the new Member for the Eastern Maoris seat, were, however, very unkind. The Daily Telegraph described Wi Pere as a ‘Maori of the Maoris’ both in disposition and taste. Seat regained Both in 1887 and in 1890 Wi Pere was again defeated by James Carroll at the Polls. However, in 1895 Carroll stood down in order to contest the Waiapu (A European seat) and Wi Pere regained his former place in the House of Representatives, which he retained until 1905, when he was displaced by Ngata.

In 1907 Wi Pere was invited to sit on the Legislative Council until he lost it in 1912, on a technicality beyond his control. In 1893 Wi Pere promoted the Mangatu Empowering Bill which was presented by Tame Parata (Southern Maori) in front of the General Assembly. This Bill became an Act after much opposition from many of the politicians of the time. It gave control of land over to Maori Trustees. It was the first time that Maoris were successful in getting this bill passed. It involved the setting up of an Incorporation of owners with its own elected Committee. The Bill involved 126,000 acres of land in the Poverty Bay area. Today the Mangatu Incorporation Block is probably one of the biggest farming operations in New Zealand.

Wi Pere, with W.L. Rees, set up the New Zealand Natives Land Company. In 1889 both of the mentioned gentlemen acted as trustees of 250,000 acres of Native Land in Poverty Bay, most of which was leased and heavily mortgaged. They visited England to ask the British Government to aid a plan to settle 2,000 to 3,000 families in the area on the principle of co-operative colonisation, with everyone to work and be a partner. The Marquis of Lome, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Onslow, Lady Henry Somerset and others were induced to take a friendly interest in

the scheme. The death blow to the crusade came when the then Government of New Zealand (i.e. Atkinson Ministry) sent a cable reading “We do not guarantee Mr Rees’s figures”. Mr Broadhurst, M.P. for Nottingham, presented a petition to the House of Commons, asking for assistance of the Government to guarantee the payment of 3 per cent on a loan of £ 1,000,000.

Validation Court

Addressing the Judge of the Validation Court at Gisborne in March, 1895, Wi Pere who was appearing on behalf of the Native owners of a number of heavily-mortgaged blocks, said that he

could not agree that some of the properties should be sold as he was not convinced that the sums that would be offered for them would be enough to place the other blocks on a sound financial basis.

He argued that if he had not adopted obstructive tactics in the past all of the blocks would have been taken over by the banks and land Companies. The Natives, he said, would not tolerate a system of ‘Pakeha Landlordism’. In Ireland the people had had to shoot some landlords and if it became necessary, he might have to instruct the Maoris to

do likewise. However, he finally agreed that they should have the power to sell as well as to lease.

Another example of Wi Pere’s endeavour to prevent further alienation of Maori land.

In 1885, after a year in the House of Representatives, Wi Pere listened to the question as to whether the construction of the North Island main truck railway should be deferred until 500,000 acres of Native owned land lying close to the route should be required for settlement purposes. It was estimated that the line would cost 1,500,000, a huge sum in those days, and that when it was completed the taxpayers would for some years pen-

ding further extensive settlement, be required to find at least £ 60,000 per annum towards the cost of operating it.

Wi Pere’s response was that the Stout Government was adopting a selfish attitude. Any benefits arising from the building of the railway line should, he said, go to the Native owners of the adjoining land. Pointing towards the Premier, he remarked “Are you afraid of the Maoris becoming prosperous?”

Driven to the sea

During a sitting of the General Assembly in 1909, whilst Wi Pere was discussing a Native Land Bill. He complained that the Maoris had been forced to alienate far too much of their land, adding that he would personally like to see all Pakeha’s driven into the sea. Some of the other Members who understood Maori displayed impatience when the official interpreter proved hesitant about translating the indiscreet remark. However, Mr Ormond, who appeared to have some comprehension on what was said, repeated to Mr Speaker as to what had transpired.

Wi Pere left the Chamber whilst the Speaker intimated that he would emphasize his own and other Member’s displeasure over the incident.

Often Wi Pere’s interpreter used to ask him why he often said unkind things about the Pakeha and so became unpopular. Wi Pere’s response was, “I cannot say I am sorry, for what I have uttered I cannot put back”.

Wi Pere lived during the ‘transition period of the Maori’. He was an eye witness to the most turbulent incidents of Maori-Pakeha relationships. He had witnessed some of the worst land legislation affecting the Maoris which included the land wars, the confiscation of Maori land by successive Governments, the rise of Maori Nationalism, Te Kooti conflicts the 1867 Maori Representation Act, also the break down of traditional Maori institutions and customs by the Pakeha in their efforts to assimilate the Maori into the wider context of British type Society.

Cultural Conflict

A clash of cultural conflict took place in what seemed to have been an unseemly incident in which Wi Pere was the principal actor and marred Lord Plunket’s visit to Te Karaka on 21 May, 1907, to open the railway extension to Puha. Some of the Maoris in the area led by Wi Pere did a haka which added to the general reception and goodwill of the tangata-whenua.

Wi Pere took off a Maori cloak which he was wearing and offered it to the Vice-Regal visitor.

Politely but firmly His Excellency declined the gift which he said, when Wi Pere persisted, he could not accept

even to hand it to some museum. In full anger Wi Pere then threw it down and threatened to trample it in the mud. To humour him, Lord Plunkett offered to accept a feather as an emblem of his loyalty. Wi Pere said he would offer a feather the next day if the Governor agreed to accept the mat. Amid cheering, John Townley (Mayor of Gisborne) picked up the mat and handed it to an Aide de Camp.

On the death of Wi Pere, December 9th, 1915, Judge Jones of the Gisborne Native Land Court, made reference as follows:

“A great Chief and one whose name was a household word among the Maoris. No one loved the Maori people more than he did. With great foresight and a keen eye to the future, he early saw that if the Maori was to be protected, he must be adjusted somewhat to the newer conditions. With this object he encouraged the education and advancement of the younger generation, and qt the same time embarked on schemes having for their object the utilising of Maori lands by the aid of Europeans and their capital for the mutual advantage of both.”

The local newspaper highlighted Wi’s death with such headings as “Champion of the Maori Race”, “A Link with the Past”, “The Last of the Great Chiefs”.

Apirana Ngata stated: “Wi Pere was one of the great chiefs of the EastCoast. No man ever did more for his people. The mistakes which he made were big mistakes the mistakes a big man would make and they owed their origin to the fact that, under economic conditions of his day, he had, to a great extent, to place reliance upon others.... Essentially a Maori, Wi Pere’s pride in being a Maori led him sometimes to make impolite remarks that were tinged with contempt for the Pakeha. Never was there a greater fighter for his race than Wi Pere.”

Right Hon. W.F. Massey. Prime Minister “Regret to hear the death of Wi Pere. My sincere sympathy to family and relatives, a sad loss”.

Hon. W.H. Harries (Tauranga) “Both Pakeha and Maori mourn the loss they have sustained. One of the Domonion’s best known citizens is now passed away”.

The Native people and Government of New Zealand, as a final tribute to Wi Pere erected a fine monument along Read Quay in Gisborne in 1919.

Sir James Caroll at the unveiling stated, “I knew him well as a friend knows a friend. Wi Pere had done great service to the Dominion. It is only fitting that the Government and Native People of New Zealand should acknowledge and recognise this service.”

Contributor: Mr Joe TeKani Pere Deputy Principal Melville High Hamilton. M.A. (Hon). B.Ed Dip Tchg

(The influence of Riria)

Te Ihi, Te Mana, Te Wehi, 0 Turanga-nui-a-Kiwa

The Hon. Wi Pere (1837-1915) (Eastern Maori) M.H.R. 1884-1887 1894-1905 M.L.C. 1907-1912

Rangatira Soldier Politician Land Court Conductor Legislator and Historian. Tribal Kinship Kahungungu Rongowhakaata Te Aitanga

a Mahaki Sub-tribe Whanau-a-Kai Whakapapa

Tukai = Kawewai Kapiere = Parakau Riria = Halbert Wi Pere

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/TUTANG19831001.2.43

Bibliographic details

Tu Tangata, Issue 14, 1 October 1983, Page 53

Word Count
2,423

Te Mana o Riria Tu Tangata, Issue 14, 1 October 1983, Page 53

Te Mana o Riria Tu Tangata, Issue 14, 1 October 1983, Page 53