NAHE, HOANE (? 1833-94), a prominent chief of Ngati-Maru, was born at Te Poho, near Kerikeri. His earliest education was under a missionary catechist (Preece, q.v.) and Wiremu Turipona, and he afterwards went to the school conducted by the Rev Mr Dudley, who taught him the New Testament, and Mr Lanfear. Later he went to St John's College, under Archdeacons Abraham and Lloyd and Mr Greenwood. Chafing under the discipline, he returned to his home at the Thames, but was taken back by Bishop Selwyn and eventually obtained a good English education, taking honours in arithmetic and first prize in general knowledge. He still had no taste for his appointed vocation, the church, and he left the College with a good conduct certificate.

Having tribal connections with Taranaki, Ngati-Raukawa and Ngati-Haua, Nahe was elected to represent the Western Maori in Parliament in 1876. He was a fluent speaker of wide knowledge, and a firm supporter of Sir George Grey, in whose Government he was a member of the executive representing the native race from Nov 1877 to Oct 1879.

Nahe lived for many years at Omahu, near Te Puriri (Thames), where later he was a prominent churchman and assisted in the rebuilding of the mission church at Parawai. He was very learned in the lore of his people and contributed chapters to White's History and the Polynesian Journal. He died at Taipari's house at Thames on 18 May 1894.

NZ.P.D., 1876-79; S. P. Smith; Brett's Almanac, 1879; Polyn. Jour., iii, 111

Reference: Volume 2, page 60

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