WAKEFIELD, ARTHUR (1799-1843) was born at Burnham Wick, Essex, the third son of Edward Wakefield and Susanna Crash. Brought up by his grandmother, Priscilla Wakefield, a devout Quaker, at her home in Tottenham, he felt her religious influence throughout life. In 1807 he entered at Haigh's school at Tottenham, and in 1808 proceeded to the Grammar School at Bury St Edmunds. His father decided that he should enter the Navy, and in May 1810 he joined on board the frigate Nisus, Captain Philip Beaver, in which he spent six years. During that time he was present at the capture of the Isle de France and at the shore fighting at Java. In 1814 he was transferred to the frigate Hebrus, in which he saw service in North America, being present as aide-de-camp with the expedition which captured Washington, USA. At Bladensburg he showed great intrepidity and captured one of the enemy's flags, for which he was mentioned in despatches. At the age of 16 he was in charge of a prize of 280 tons which he carried from Chesapeake Bay to Bermuda. He was in the Hebrus at the bombardment of Algiers (1816), and in that year passed for lieutenant (two years before he could be promoted). He was posted to the Queen Charlotte in 1818, and from her he moved into the Superb (1819) as flag-midshipman to Sir Thomas Hardy, whom he accompanied on a diplomatic tour in South America which lasted two years. This appointment was in recognition of his services at Bladensburg and Washington, but he was not promoted lieutenant until 1821. His command of Spanish was of great service to this mission. In 1822 Wakefield spent six months as aide-de-camp to Lord St Vincent. In 1823 he joined the Brazen, in which he saw much service against smugglers in the Channel and slavers on the West African station. Prizes worth £40,000 were taken; and out of 900 slaves captured Wakefield himself after a long chase in three ship's boats, captured 420 in a Spanish slave schooner. He commanded the brig Conflict (1826-28), and was then promoted senior lieutenant in the Rose. He had temporary command of this ship in the protection of fisheries in the Gulf of St Lawrence and Labrador, and was then transferred as senior lieutenant to the flagship of Sir Edward Golpoys. Thereafter he was in the Winchester until she paid off in 1833, when he joined the Thunderer, still hoping for long overdue promotion. On three occasions Wakefield jumped overboard to save life. He was a good disciplinarian and invented an appliance for fishing anchors with a double hook, and apparatus for imitation shot practice. On returning home he found there had been a general promotion of lieutenants, from which he was excluded, though he had 27 years of service. He memorialised the first lord in protest (28 Feb 1837). Meanwhile his brother Edward Gibbon (q.v.) had made some progress with the New Zealand colonisation scheme and proposed that Arthur should command the first expedition. This proposal he accepted eagerly. Being a strong churchman, he went with Captain Wellesley and Dr G. S. Evans as a deputation to seek the co-operation of the Church Missionary Society (Jun 1837). The secretary (Dandeson Coates) replied flatly that he would thwart the scheme by all means in his power.

Wakefield would have proceeded to New Zealand in the Tory in 1839 had he not been appointed to command the frigate Rhadamanthus on the Mediterranean station, where he remained until 1841. He then retired from the Navy and threw himself whole-heartedly into the Nelson colony, of which he was to be the leader. Land was to be provided both for the settlers going with him and for those who had been disappointed in not receiving sections in the Wellington colony; and due provision was made for one-tenth of the whole area to be set aside for native reserves. The total area required was 221,000 acres.

Within two and a half months of the date of the prospectus the ships Whitby (350 tons), and Will Watch (300 tons) were ready to sail. Wakefield, who had been responsible for equipping the expedition, had charge of the passengers in the former ship and Tuckett (q.v.) of those in the latter. On the voyage out Wakefield maintained a regular programme of occupation and observances, establishing the Nelson Literary and Scientific Institution, a school for young gentlemen and one for labourers who could not read or write. A weekly newspaper, the Whitby Times, was established, while the labourers had one entitled Hand in Hand. On 18 Sep 1841 the Whitby anchored in Port Nicholson, where the Will Watch and the storeship Arrow were already lying. Governor Hobson had suggested tentatively that the colony should be located either at Mahurangi, in north Auckland, or in the valley of the Thames or the Waipa. Colonel William Wakefield (q.v.), the principal agent at Wellington, and Arthur were agreed in preferring Port Cooper, but Hobson objected that the land in that vicinity was subject to claims, including those of the Nanto-Bordelaise Company, and he could not appropriate them as proposed until these had been decided. They therefore had to fall back upon the lands purchased by Colonel Wakefield in 1839. The expedition left Wellington and proceeded to Queen Charlotte Sound, while Captain Wakefield visited Te Rauparaha and Te Hiko at Kapiti and obtained their sanction to settling at Blind Bay. The ships reached that destination on 8 Oct.

After a careful and somewhat disappointing exploration of the neighbourhood, Wakefield decided upon Wakatu harbour as the site of the settlement, though subsequent surveys showed that the requisite area of land for farming was not available in the neighbourhood. The local chiefs having approved, no time was lost in laying out the town, surveying neighbouring lands and preparing for the arrival of the immigrants. In Feb 1842 four ships (the Fifeshire, Mary Ann, Lloyds and Lord Auckland) arrived, with nearly 700 settlers; and within seven months there were 67 arrivals. Wakefield showed extraordinary energy, combined with tact and organising ability, in setting on foot the machinery of government, education and public works.

It was soon apparent to him, however, that more land would have to be secured for farming immigrants. The settlement suffered from absenteeism and unsold lands; uncertain titles; and the excessive labour supply in proportion to capital. At the end of 1842 Wakefield received instructions not to guarantee employment except to men who had emigrated under contract. Meanwhile Cotterill, one of the surveyors, had been exploring Cloudy Bay, where he reported that an area of 240,000 acres of land was available (Dec 1841). Wakefield believed that the Wairau was included in the purchase (to the parallel of 43 degrees) which his brother had made of Te Rauparaha at Kapiti; and he seems to have been unaware that that chief disputed this sale before Spain's court (Apr 1842). When he advertised the Wairau for survey (Mar 1843) he was at once visited by Rauparaha and Rangihaeata, the former denying the sale and the latter threatening violent opposition to any steps taken to assume possession of the land. In Apr Barnicoat, Parkinson and Cotterill, who had been entrusted with the surveys, landed in the Wairau and met Te Puaha, a mild-mannered Christian chief, who made no protest. Other natives, however, pulled up the ranging rods of the surveyors. This having been reported to Wakefield, he sent back word that the police magistrate would take action in the event of any hostile behaviour to the surveyors. On 28 May Joseph Toms, a whaler living at Porirua with his Ngati-Toa wife, landed at Cloudy Bay from his schooner Three Brothers Te Rauparaha and an armed party of about 25 men. On 1 Jun a force of 400 natives landed at Port Underwood, and set off in eight canoes and a whaleboat up the Wairau river. Methodically and deliberately they visited each of the three survey parties, burned their huts and timber, and helped them back to the coast with their own property and instruments. Cotterill proceeded hastily to Nelson and laid an information against the chiefs for destruction of property. Henry A. Thompson (who in Mar 1842 had been appointed police magistrate and agent of the Government at Nelson) issued warrants for their arrest, and declared his intention of being present when they were executed. Wakefield felt convinced of the righteousness of the proceedings and did not anticipate any resistance. The party, which left in the Government brig Victoria, included Thompson (who was virtually in command to see to the execution of his warrants), Wakefield, Captain England, Richardson (crown prosecutor) and a number of labourers. They numbered eventually 49, of whom 33 were armed indifferently with muskets and sabres. Disregarding the urgent advice of Tuckett (whom they met at sea), and a warning letter from the Rev S Ironside (q.v.), they landed on 15 Jun at the Wairau, where they were joined by J. W. Barnicoat (q.v.). Next day they proceeded up the river, and on the 17th, in two boats, they continued to ascend the Wairau and its tributaries. Four miles up the Tuamarina they found Rangihaeata in a piece of bush on the right bank of the river, accompanied by 90 men and about 30 women and children. A canoe having been placed across the stream, Thompson, Wakefield, Tuckett, Cotterill, Brooks and the chief constable (Maling) crossed and began to explain to Rauparaha that he and Rangihaeata were to be arrested and taken in the Government brig to stand their trial for destroying Cotterill's property. When Rauparaha said that Spain would inquire into that, Thompson explained that Spain was inquiring into land claims, not into the destruction of property. Rauparaha then offered to pay on the spot for any of the pakeha's property that had been destroyed; but Thompson insisted that he must stand his trial. Rauparaha replied that he did not wish to fight, but if the whites fought he would also. Rangihaeata now coming forward, the altercation became heated and Wakefield called to his men to come closer together. Thompson having caught Rauparaha by the arm to arrest him, was roughly repulsed and, some of his men coming to his assistance, a struggle began. As the whites were crossing the river at Wakefield's command a gun went off, the natives replied and firing became general. Wakefield ordered his people to retreat up the hill. They declined to make a stand and he and Howard, who had been an officer with him in the Rhadamanthus, advanced with a white handkerchief towards the natives and offered to surrender. Cotterill was retreating from the field with his men and Wakefield ordered his people to throw down their arms and lie down. The natives then coming up, Wakefield and his followers handed over their arms. They were sitting talking with the natives when Rangihaeata rushed up excitedly saying that his wife, Te Rongo, had been killed and they must have utu.

A general attack then commenced on the unarmed whites and 22 were killed, including Wakefield, Thompson, Captain England, Richardson, Howard, Cotterill and Brooks (the interpreter). The bodies of Wakefield and 16 others were buried a few days later by the Rev S Ironside (q.v.).

Wakefield was one of the best type of naval officer, courteous, considerate and with a singular command of temper. A man of deep religious conviction, he treated the natives with uniform frankness and courtesy, and his winning character earned him the general respect of the colonists. The train of events which led to the tragedy at Wairau was not laid by him. He does not seem to have realised that the claim to have bought the Wairau was contested; he had not sufficient knowledge of Maori customs and character to appreciate the gravity of the position; he never questioned the justice of his conduct; and did not realise that the threat of resistance was serious. (See FITZROY.)

G.B.O.P. 1844/556; 1845/131; N.Z.C. 31; N.Z.C. reports, 1840-45; unpublished thesis by L. R. Palmer; E. J. Wakefield; Harrop, Wakefield; Irma O'Connor; Saunders; G. Clarke; Gisborne; Thomson; Broad; Buick, Marlborough and Old New Zealander; Rusden; Ward (p); McDonald, Pages from the Past; N.Z. Gazette and Spectator, 5 Jul 1843; Evening Mail, 11 Dec 1926 (p).

Reference: Volume 2, page 223

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