WHITE, JOHN (1826-91) was born at Cockfield, Durham, the third son of Francis White (1800-77) and nephew of William White (q.v.).

He sailed from England with his parents in the Fortune (1834), and after being wrecked in the schooner Friendship at Norfolk Island, came to Bay of Islands in 1835. He spent the next 45 years at Hokianga, and as a young man he was present at the operations at Ruapekapeka.

Going then to Auckland, he joined the Government service first under Ligar (Surveyor-general) and afterwards in the Native Land Purchase department. He had a competent knowledge of the Maori language and by his friendship with tohungas and others acquired a great store of Maori lore and traditions. In 1850 he was appointed interpreter to the native land office, and in this capacity acted as interpreter to Grey and Browne, as well as to Wynyard when he visited the new goldfields at Coromandel (1852). White did much work in the extinguishment of native titles in Auckland province, assisting to purchase the Waitakerei block and the land for the railway line to Helensville. When the Taranaki war broke out he was field interpreter to General Pratt, and was present at the battle of Puketakauere. He was afterwards resident magistrate on the upper Whanganui river, where he exercised great influence in restraining the Hauhau emissaries and warned the Hauhau up the river against approaching Whanganui (1865). In 1867 he returned to Auckland to deal with native land claims. He was transferred to Napier (1874) and for some time was in charge of the Maori newspaper Te Wananga. Two years later White was engaged by the Government at a salary of £450 a year to translate Maori manuscripts which should become the property of the Government. Seven volumes of his Ancient History of the Maori were published between 1887 and 1891. His earlier works included Maori Superstitions (1856 and 1861); Te Rou, or the Maori at Home (1874); Plan of the Maori Mythology (1878) and Legendary History of the Maoris (1880). Several of his papers on native superstitions and customs were laid before Parliament and printed.

White was transferred to Wellington (1885) and died on 13 Jan 1891. He married (1854) Mary E. Bagnall (Parnell). He had an untarnished reputation as a public man and was highly respected in his private life. (See W. B. White).

White, op. cit., and MS. in Alexander Turnbull Library; Hocken; Gudgeon (p); Webster; N.Z. Herald, 14 Jan 1891.

Reference: Volume 2, page 251

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