The Public and Political Life of Wiremu Te Kakakura Parata 1871-1906
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The Public and Political Life of Wiremu Te Kakakura Parata 1871-1906 Tony Walzl Walghan Partners 10 May 2019 1 Contents INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 6 PARATA AS PARLIAMENTARIAN .......................................................................... 8 The 1871 Parliamentary Session.......................................................................... 10 Confiscation .............................................................................................................. 11 Maori Representation .............................................................................................. 13 Other Issues .............................................................................................................. 20 The 1872 Parliamentary Session.......................................................................... 23 Hui at Otaki and Parihaka ........................................................................................ 24 Maori Representation .............................................................................................. 25 Land Confiscation ..................................................................................................... 27 The Fall of the Fox Ministry...................................................................................... 31 The Rise and Fall of the Stafford Ministry ............................................................... 36 Parata’s Appointment to the Executive .................................................................. 42 2 PARATA IN GOVERNMENT .................................................................................... 46 Hui of February and March 1873........................................................................ 46 Hui at Whanganui ..................................................................................................... 47 Parihaka Hui ............................................................................................................. 49 Meetings at New Plymouth ..................................................................................... 52 Waikato Hui: March 1873 ........................................................................................ 55 Parliamentary Sessions ......................................................................................... 58 1873 .......................................................................................................................... 59 1874 .......................................................................................................................... 62 1875 .......................................................................................................................... 64 The 1876 Election .................................................................................................. 69 3 PARATA AS ACTIVIST ............................................................................................. 73 Educational Reserve Land at Porirua................................................................. 74 Parata and Taranaki Issues 1876-1890 ............................................................... 78 Hui at Waitara: June 1878 ........................................................................................ 78 Parihaka: Ploughmen & Royal Commission ............................................................ 81 Parihaka 1880-81 ...................................................................................................... 85 Attack on Parihaka ................................................................................................... 87 Parata and Local Issues 1880-1900 ..................................................................... 91 Roads and Railways at Waikanae ............................................................................ 91 Resource Protection ................................................................................................. 94 Parata and National Politics during the 1890s ................................................... 97 Commentary on Legislation ..................................................................................... 98 The 1892 Waitangi Parliament .............................................................................. 100 1893: Regal Visit, Waipatu Parliament and Subsequent Petition ........................ 101 Parata’s Widening Opposition ............................................................................... 104 Governor’s Otaki Visit 1899 ................................................................................... 107 Educational Trust Lands .................................................................................... 109 Parata’s Death ..................................................................................................... 112 4 SUMMARY AND COMMENTARY ........................................................................ 113 Parata enters Parliament ................................................................................... 113 The Key Issue of Confiscation ........................................................................... 116 Maori Representation ......................................................................................... 118 Parata reviews Support ...................................................................................... 122 Parata as Government Member ........................................................................ 126 Post-Parliamentary Career ................................................................................ 130 APPENDIX I: ADDITIONAL NGARARA ARTICLES ........................................ 135 1889: Inia Tuhata's Perspective ............................................................................. 135 1891: Court Costs ................................................................................................... 137 5 INTRODUCTION This report on the public and political life of Wi Te Kakakura Parata has been compiled at the request of the WAI-88/89 claimants. Whereas evidence has been presented to the Waitangi Tribunal that has documented, in some detail, Wi Parata’s involvement in local land and other issues at Waikanae, his broader political and public life has not been extensively researched. Yet Parata was a parliamentarian from 1871 to 1875 and, in 1877, he brought a landmark case dealing with Maori educational trust land (Wi Parata v. Bishop of Wellington) which produced a significant finding on the status of the Treaty of Waitangi in law. From 1871, through to his death in 1906, Parata was involved in a number of significant Maori policy and land issues: Taranaki and Waikato confiscated lands, Maori representation in Parliament, Parihaka and the initiation of the Maori parliamentary movement of the 1890s. Within the timeframe and resourcing that has been available, this report has been completed as a very limited exercise only. Only two main sources have been utilised – newspaper articles and the minutes of the New Zealand Parliamentary Debates. As valuable as these two sources are, they of course can not tell the full biographical story of Wi Parata. Nevertheless, it is hoped that the information produced in this report will provide the Tribunal with additional information about this important rangatira who is a key component of the Wai-88/89 claim. This report is presented in three Sections: Parata as a Parliamentarian: Wi Parata was an elected Member of Parliament for five years from 1871 to 1875. The last three of these years, he was a member of the Government. This section covers the years 1871 and 1872, when Parata was an electoral representative only. Parata in Government: In December 1872, Parata was appointed a member of the Executive Council. Although not holding a position as Minister, this Cabinet posting, brought Parata within Government until the end of 1875 when he failed to gain re- election. 6 Parata as Activist: From 1876, through to his death in 1906, Parata continued his involvement outside of Parliament. He actively was involved in Parihaka, took legal action over Maori educational trust land and was a bedrock member of Maori parliamentary movement. The sections that deal with the three stages of Wi Parata's public and political life, as revealed in the media and in parliamentary record, follow a chronological presentation with little commentary or analysis. This is saved for a final Summary and Commentary Section at the end of the report. Instead, as this report is being completed for the Wai-88/89 claimants, the intention is to provide as much detail on Parata's words and actions as possible. Therefore, full quotes of his parliamentary speeches or comments in the media are reproduced. Of course, throughout his life, Parata is involved in significant national issues. Within the timeframe and resourcing available, there was little opportunity to review or comment extensively on these national issues. Throughout this report, the focus remains on Parata and his views and participation in these issues. Time did not allow a full contextualisation of Parata's involvement or a review of where Parata sat in respect of these various issues compared with his peers or opponents. There is some small amount of context provided, but this generally is only sufficient to introduce Parata's actions and words. As this is the case, there is not really the information to fully