Last battles - war in Wellington

The arrest of Te Rauparaha

In mid-1846 Governor George Grey decided to neutralise the Ngati Toa threat in the Wellington region by arresting Te Rauparaha. Despite the fact that Te Rauparaha had encouraged Maori to leave the Hutt Valley, Grey did not trust him to remain neutral. He believed that the removal of Te Rauparaha from the area would weaken Ngati Toa's power and assert his authority over the chief's mana. He also wanted to avoid Te Rauparaha being forced to choose between his nephew and the settlers.

Wellington war sites around Pauatahanui

A small naval party arrived at Te Rauparaha's pa at Taupo, near Plimmerton, at dawn on 23 July. The elderly chief appeared from his dwelling and grabbed a taiaha. His attempted blows were deflected, and he was seized and led away in chains to HMS Calliope. He was informed that he was under arrest for supplying weapons to Maori deemed to be in open rebellion against the Crown. No charges were actually laid and his detention was illegal. Te Rauparaha, like Te Kaeaea before him, was sent to Auckland. By the time he was released in January 1848, his own mana and that of his tribe had diminished.

The British built a stockade not far from Te Rauparaha's pa. The campaign to pacify the region now switched its focus to Te Rangihaeata and his positions in the nearby Pauatahanui inlet.

Battle Hill

Te Rangihaeata's pa at Pauatahanui

The British began a series of small raids against Te Rangihaeata's pa at Pauatahanui (where St Alban's church stands today). The chief abandoned the pa and withdrew north to a position in the hills east of the Horokiri Stream More than 300 Ngati Toa, including women and children, took shelter behind a fortified position on a high ridgeline. The abandoned pa at Pauatahanui was turned into a British military post. It was garrisoned by detachments of regular regiments and provided protection to Europeans wishing to settle around the inlet.

The fight at Battle Hill

The arrival of British reinforcements enabled an assault against Te Rangihaeata's new position, now known as Battle Hill. The attack began on 6 August 1846 in freezing rain. The assault force consisted of 250 British soldiers as well as militia and police. They were joined by up to 150 Maori from Te Ati Awa, led by Wiremu Kingi Te Rangitake, and some Ngati Toa from Porirua.

The government force moved up close to Te Rangihaeata's position but pulled back after three of their number were killed, including Ensign H.M. Blackburn. A full frontal assault was considered but quickly dismissed. In the recently concluded Northern War a British assault party had been decimated at Ohaeawai. The terrain and vegetation prevented a flanking manoeuvre. Thousands of rounds of musket fire also failed to make any impression.

On 7 August two small mortars were brought up to about a kilometre from the fortification. Approximately 80 shells were fired, many landing in or near Te Rangihaeata's position. Reluctant to advance and fearful of a counter-attack, the British decided to withdraw their regular troops. From 10 August it was left to the supporting Te Ati Awa warriors to launch an occasional raid. On the 13th it was discovered that Te Rangihaeata had slipped away under cover of darkness and rain.

Painting of Te Rangihaeata's pa

Te Rangihaeata's groups were pursued by their Maori foe. A ‘long retreat' into the neighbouring Horowhenua district, in appalling winter conditions, effectively ended the Hutt Valley campaign.

Eventually Te Rangihaeata settled in the Poroutawhao swamp, south of present-day Foxton. His people suffered great hardships over the next few years but generally did not obstruct further European settlement. The government chose to leave Te Rangihaeata alone, even declining to take action when he imposed tolls on travellers using the beach road between Foxton and Levin.

Te Rangihaeata died in November 1855.

Significance of the war in Wellington

The Wellington campaign claimed few lives. Its real significance was the reassurance it gave settlers that their needs were slowly but surely being met by the Crown. Coming so quickly after the conclusion of the fighting in the Far North, the pacification of Te Rauparaha and Te Rangihaeata did much to enhance Grey's reputation with the settler population. Conflict in two key areas of European settlement had been resolved.