BUTLER, JOHN GARE (1781-1841) as a young man went into business in London, where he spent 20 years, latterly as a clerk in a large firm of carriers. In 1798 he married Hannah Hitchman (d. 1852).

Butler evinced a religious turn of mind and took part in Church matters in Paddington, where he lived. In 1816 he was honorary secretary of the newly formed Grand Junction and Canal Bible Association, and he was prepared by the Bishop of Paddington for work under the Church Missionary Society. In 1818 he was ordained by the Bishop of Gloucester and in Dec he sailed in the convict ship Baring for Australia as the first ordained minister dedicated to the work of the Society in the New Zealand field. Though superintendent in New Zealand, he was subordinate to Marsden (q.v.), the Society's agent in Sydney. Amongst the passengers by the Baring were the chiefs Tui and Titore, returning in charge of Butler from their visit to England. In Sydney Butler had many conferences with Marsden on mission policy and met some influential New Zealand chiefs staying at Parramatta. To avoid delay Marsden chartered the ship General Gates, in which he sailed with the New Zealand party on 29 Jul 1819, arriving at Bay of Islands 12 Aug. Butler's agreement was to receive £160 a year and rations, and he was invested by the governor of New South Wales with the authority of a justice of the peace for the preservation of order in the settlements in New Zealand (24 Jul). Butler settled at Kerikeri. At an early date it became evident that he had not the personal authority to control missionaries who had been some years in New Zealand and developed habits which were detrimental to the mission cause. Kendall was troublesome and defiant from the outset and disputes soon occurred, especially in regard to the traffic in arms. Butler endeavoured to curb his colleagues, but there is evidence that he himself was compelled to traffic in guns and powder, not for private profit but to obtain necessary supplies for the mission. He tried to establish brick works and to procure timber for mission buildings, but the competition of visiting ships defeated him. He did in 1820 use the first plough in New Zealand and he was a successful gardener; but the lack of draught bullocks until early in 1820 prevented him from hauling timber for the erection of the mission buildings. Marsden's arrival in the Dromedary eased his plight somewhat, but he had no residence for his family for two years. In 1820 he made long journeys with Marsden, and late in 1821 he visited Sydney, returning in the Westmorland (Feb 1822).

When Marsden visited New Zealand in 1823 to install Henry Williams in Paihia he came to the conclusion that Butler and Kendall could not possibly remain together in Bay of Islands. Butler's own habits had deteriorated, and eventually Marsden insisted on his removal to New South Wales. There his active connection with the mission ended, though Marsden employed him for some time supervising Maori and European artisans at work at the seminary at Parramatta.

Butler sailed for England in the Midas (Aug 1824) and passed some years rather precariously in the service of the Church. For eight years he was curate at Aston Bottrell and for a few months had charge of the parish of Haddenham, Isle of Ely. Butler's dual qualification as a clergyman of the established church and a former magistrate in New Zealand recommended him to the New Zealand Company, and in 1839 he was appointed native guardian and interpreter. He sailed with his family in the Bolton and on his arrival at Port Nicholson (21 Apr 1840) took up his residence at Pito-one. His sympathetic knowledge of the Maori and command of the language were of great value in the settlement of disputes and bargains between the two peoples. In the intervals of a strenuous official life he found time to complete the manuscript of the Maori grammar which he had commenced in his earlier residence in the colony. Butler died 18 Jun 1841, and was buried at Gear Island. His daughter Hannah (born 5 Sep 1817) married Richard Barton (q.v.).

Marsden, L. and J. and Lieutenants... Ramsden; S. P. Smith, Wars; R. J. Barton, Earliest New Zealand (1927).

Reference: Volume 1, page 78

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