RUSSELL, GEORGE FREDERICK, was at Hokianga before 1830 and built the Sir George Murray there in that year. He married a niece or close relative of Tamati Waka Nene. Russell had a good timber business at Hokianga and loaded with sawn timber the first ship, the Bolina, for Logan Campbell to take to the English market (1844). He was with Nene when he erected his pa at Okaihau against Heke (1845), and saw much of the fighting in that campaign. In 1846 he with difficulty persuaded the commander of H.M.S. Osprey not to attack the Ihutai tribe, since Heke and Nene had both declared Hokianga to be neutral. Russell died in 1855.

His son, FREDERICK NENE RUSSELL, was elected unopposed to represent the Northern Maori in the first parliament in which the native members sat (1868). He declared that Maori representation would be a sham if the natives were not permitted to choose European representatives if they wished. He did not contest the seat at the election of 1871. Nene left to Russell's family the goblet presented to him by Queen Victoria.

N.Z.P.D., 1868-70 (notably 4 Aug 1868); Scholefield in N.Z. Times, 10 Oct 1907; Webster; Bowen, i, 298; N.Z. Herald, 29 Mar 1889.

Reference: Volume 2, page 135

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