TARA, OR GEORGE (?-1825), a Whangaroa chief of Ngati-Pou, served aboard several whalers and worked his passage to Port Jackson. There he met the Rev Samuel Marsden and spent some time at Parramatta. In these years of travelling he acquired a coarse and familiar manner and a fluent command of English. He was rather under medium height, not prepossessing in appearance and (according to Nicholas) avaricious and at times violent. In 1809, Tara and some other Maoris were shipped under Captain Thompson in the whaler Boyd, 500 tons, which left Port Jackson to load in New Zealand. Tara suffered from seasickness, and Thompson, ignoring his remonstrances that he was a chief, had him flogged for failing to take his turn of duty. Hearing that there was good timber on Tara's land, Thompson decided to put into Whangaroa for spars. As soon as the Boyd arrived Tara informed the chief (Te Puhi) of his treatment, and plans were made to sack the ship while the boat's crews were ashore. Tara and Te Puhi took an active part in killing the whole of the crew. Only a woman and two children were saved by the intervention of Te Pahi (q.v.), who happened to be on a visit from Bay of Islands. Tara's father and five others were blown up by an explosion of powder. Marsden in 1815 inquired into the outrage, which he ascribed to the ill-treatment of Tara, and he used every effort to bring about peace between Te Pahi's people and the Ngati-Pou, who had been at war since 1809. Kendall visited Tara in May 1815, when he had just returned from a successful five months' cruise on the East Coast, killing many enemies. In this year his brother Te Puhi went to Sydney with Marsden. Tara was afraid to go lest he should be tried for the Boyd outrage. He felt keenly the contempt of the Ngapuhi chiefs, but Marsden treated him with consideration and confidence and assured him of his safety. In 1819-20 Tara and Te Puhi assisted to load the Dromedary with spars. In Aug 1823 Marsden purchased from Tara land at Kaeo for the Wesleyan mission, which the chief pledged himself to protect. While he lived the mission survived repeated assaults by the Ngati-Pou, in which Tara's brother Te Puhi was conspicuous. In 1823 Tara, still afraid to visit Port Jackson lest he should be arrested and punished, sent his brother's daughter with the Leighs instead. Though repentant for his part in the Boyd massacre, he again showed a bad example in pillaging the Mercury. His death in Dec 1825 was the signal for renewed hostility, culminating in the sacking of the mission in 1827. Te Puhi was killed in the girls' war (1830).

Cruise; Nicholas; Marsden, L. and J.; and Lieutenants; Ramsden; Carleton; Cycl. NZ.

Reference: Volume 2, page 186

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