Te Heuheu Tukino V Tureiti 1895 1921 Waikato Nz

edmondsallan - Hello -Tureiti was appointed a native assessor in the Resident Magistrate's Court in the district of Tauranga in 1892. He stood unsuccessfully against Wi Pere as MHR for Eastern Maori in 1893, and later stood unsuccessfully on four occasions for Western Maori: in 1899, 1902, 1905 and 1908. As Ngati Tuwharetoa were from the central area and were not clearly associated with either seat, Tureiti's supporters were insufficient to make a difference in either electorate.

From 1894 Tureiti, his wife, Te Rerehau Kahotea (also known as Mere Te Iwa Te Rerehau) and family lived mainly in Wellington, in the suburb of Maranui (Lyall Bay), where his house was an important centre for Maori visiting Wellington on political business. He led a committee of chiefs who worked in Wellington to support the Maori members of Parliament and to see petitions through the Native Affairs Committee. One of their best-known endeavours was the support of MHR Hone Heke's efforts to get a measure of Maori self-government in 1894 through the Native Rights Bill. However, during the debating stage, member after member got up and walked out of the House resulting in lack of a quorum and consequent adjournment. The bill was introduced again in 1895 and 1896 but finally was defeated, although some of its principles were incorporated in legislation passed in 1900.

In 1895 Tureiti was appointed an assessor in the Validation Court. He represented Ngati Tuwharetoa, Whanganui people, Te Arawa, Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Maniapoto in opposing R. J. Seddon's Native Lands Settlement and Administration Bill in 1898, and continued to press for legal recognition of the Maori parliament. Tureiti was among those consulted by James Carroll when the Maori Councils Act and Maori Lands Adminstration Act of 1900 were being formulated. In 1901 he sought clarification of Waikato--Ngati Maniapoto boundaries under the new legislation.

Tureiti was on the executive committee organising the Maori welcome to the duke and duchess of Cornwall and York at Rotorua in 1901, a considerable task, as thousands of Maori were camped on the Rotorua racecourse and the committee had to organise food, hygiene and many events and activities. On 18 April 1903 he was appointed advisory counsellor of the Tongariro Maori Council. Although he had been a supporter of Maori 'home rule', in 1908 he became president of the Maori Association, which favoured legal and social progress for Maori along European lines rather than the assertion of treaty rights.

On 3 November 1911 Tureiti's wife Te Rerehau Kahotea died at Tokaanu. A mourning ceremony was held for her by Wairarapa Maori in February 1912. At this hui Wairarapa Maori were also getting together a petition of support for the Liberal government of Sir Joseph Ward and it was intended that Tureiti take the petition to James Carroll. By August, however, Tureiti seemed to be resigned to supporting the Reform prime minister, W. F. Massey, whose government had replaced Ward's, and took part in a hui where he spoke in support of Massey. That year he attended the tangihanga of Mahuta, the Maori King, and the installation of Te Rata as his successor, expressing his view that the title 'ariki' should be used, rather than 'Kingi'. In 1913 he became a committee member of the newly formed Te Whakakotahitanga, an attempt to revive Te Kotahitanga. In 1918 he was made a member of the Legislative Council.

During the First World War, Tureiti was active in recruiting Maori, campaigning in different areas of New Zealand. He supported military conscription, convinced that it should apply even in Waikato, where he believed Maori should forget all their old grievances and fight for the empire. Many prominent Maori tried to persuade the people to join the other tribes to fight outside New Zealand. In the winter of 1918 Maui Pomare and Tureiti received hostile attention from their Waikato hosts. At one hui they were subjected to abusive haka, and whakapohane, the ultimate gesture of contempt. In 1919 Tureiti made a gift of 35,000 acres of Ngati Tuwharetoa land at Owhaoko in the Ruahine Ranges for the resettlement of Maori soldiers.

In 1918 his eldest son, Hepi Kahotea, died, which left his younger son, Hoani, to succeed him. Tureiti died on 1 June 1921 at Auckland, and was survived by Hoani and three daughters: Te Mare, Rihi and Te Uira. A memorial stone for him was unveiled by the governor on 30 April 1923 at Waihi. Tureiti had been an able, tireless, and eloquent representative of his people. He is remembered as a strong advocate of Maori equality and rangatiratanga. He campaigned for the establishment of political structures that would give his people the opportunity to exercise autonomy and power over their own destiny. He was thus a leader not only of Ngati Tuwharetoa, but also of Maori as a nation. Till we meet again - Regards - edmondsallan