KAIHAU, HENARE (1855-1920), a chief of the Ngati-Teata, a sub-tribe of Waikato, was born at Waiuku. His father was Ahipene Kaihau (one of the Waikato chiefs who sued for peace in Feb 1861. Ahipene was afterwards appointed an assessor, and was a policeman at Waiuku in 1863, when he went over to the enemy and was dismissed. He died on 3 Dec 1892).

Young Kaihau was educated at Archdeacon Maunsell's school at Waiuku. He showed great mental ability and was a thoroughly Europeanised Maori, with a fine stature and presence. By the age of 24 he was taking a keen interest in native affairs, and he was for years associated with the various Maori parliaments, in which he was recognised as a man of outstanding mental capacity. His sister being married to Tawhiao, he was in close touch with the King movement, and was for years the principal adviser of King Mahuta. In 1886 he was deputed by Tawhiao to visit Wellington to discuss the possibility of establishing a council of Maori chiefs in association with Parliament.

In 1884, and again in 1886, he stood for the Western Maori seat in Parliament. Ten years later he again came out as the first candidate nominated for parliament by the Maori King. He defeated Ropata te Ao and sat in Parliament primarily to represent King and Waikato interests, from 1896 to 1911. In his first session he introduced a Maori council constitution bill, designed to give to the Maori race what the King leaders considered a suitable form of local self-government. It provided that all Maori lands should be administered by a council of which 14 members should be nominated by the governor, 14 and the president nominated by Mahuta Tawhiao te Wherowhero and 28 elected for three-year terms by the four Maori constituencies. The mana of the council was to be vested for life in Mahuta and his lawful descendants, who should from time to time appoint the president of the council. The bill was read a second time, pro forma, on 25 Nov 1897 and dropped.

At several subsequent elections Kaihau was opposed by Te Heuheu Tukino (q.v.), but he managed to retain his seat until the advent of Maui Pomare (q.v.) in 1911, with tribal support which enabled him to win the election. Kaihau tried in 1919 to regain the seat, but without success. Both in Parliament and out he did his utmost to heal the breach with the King natives, and he succeeded in persuading an important party of Waikato to attend the reception to the Prince of Wales at Rotorua in 1920.

Kaihau died on 20 May 1920, leaving a wife (daughter of W. Flavell, of Waipipi).

N.Z.P.D., 29 Jun 1920; S. P. Smith, Taranaki; Scholefield in N.Z. Times, 10 Oct 1907; Hone Heke and Sir A. Ngata (information). Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 241

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