HAULTAIN, THEODORE MINET (1817-1902) was born at Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, of Dutch ancestors, who came to England with William III. At the age of fourteen he entered the Royal Military College at Sandhurst and three years later got his commission in the 88th Regiment. He transferred to the 63rd (1836) and was a lieutenant in the 39th, with which he served for ten years in India. He was quartermaster-general on the staff of the army of reserve at Ferozpur (1842) awaiting the return of the defeated army from Afghanistan. In the following year he served in the Gwalior campaign and was present at the battle of Maharajpur (29 Dec 1843).

In 1847 Haultain returned to England with the rank of captain and was appointed adjutant (and then staff officer) of Pensioners (1849). He came to New Zealand in the Oriental Queen in charge of the 8th division of the New Zealand Fencibles (1849). Located at first at Onehunga but he moved to Panmure after the retirement of Lieut-colonel Gray as staff officer of enrolled Pensioners (with the rank of captain). On completing his seven years' term of service with the Pensioners, he retired and settled as a farmer at Mangere (Mar 1857).

On the outbreak of fighting in Taranaki in 1860, Haultain organised the Auckland militia and commanded the first battalion (with the rank of lieut-colonel). In the Waikato war he was appointed to command the second of the four Waikato regiments of military settlers raised to guard the frontier. His station was at Alexandra. At the battle of Orakau he distinguished himself and was promoted colonel; and later he was colonel commanding the four regiments.

Meanwhile Haultain had taken a full part in public life. In 1852 he was a member of the first municipal council of Auckland. He took no part in provincial politics, but in 1859 was elected to Parliament for the Southern division of Auckland, defeating David Graham by one vote. He was defeated by C. Taylor in 1861. In 1864, on the death of Nixon, he was elected to Parliament for Franklin, which he represented until his retirement in 1870. Finding himself strongly opposed to the Weld ministry on the withdrawal of Imperial troops, he resigned his command (1865) in order to have a free hand in politics and, the ministry having been defeated, he joined the Stafford cabinet as Minister of Defence (16 Oct 1865). His administration was characterised by vigorous measures. He personally supervised the location of the military settlers and in the middle of 1868, when events bore a serious complexion, he asked Whitmore to take command on the West Coast. When Te Kooti attacked Poverty Bay, Haultain took the unpleasant responsibility of withdrawing the outposts to Wanganui in order to concentrate all available forces on the threatened East Coast. He took a personal interest in both campaigns, and supported Whitmore at every juncture. He personally commanded the column operating at Whakamarama until invalided with rheumatism (1869). In the same year he retired from office, with permission to retain the title of 'honourable.' Haultain was a high-minded soldier, a strict disciplinarian, firm but genial, and a prudent minister of defence. He was a strong advocate of temperance, and president for many years of the Auckland Total Abstinence Society. After retiring he carried out many official tasks. He was a member of the flax commission (1871); reported on native lands legislation; took charge of the payment of pensioners (1872); was a trustee under the native land frauds prevention act; a member of the Auckland education board (1871-80); a trustee of St. John's College since 1860; a member of the diocesan and general synods; a governor of Auckland Grammar School to 1900; secretary of the Auckland industrial school and sheriff for Auckland. Shortly before his death he represented New Zealand at the reception to the New South Wales contingent from the Soudan. He died on 18 Oct 1902.

N.Z. Gaz.; App. H.R.; N.Z.P.D., pass; Cycl. N.Z., ii (p); Whitmore; Gorton; Gudgeon (p); Morton; Gisborne; Saunders, ii; Cowan; N.Z. Herald, 16 Jul 1881; 2 Jul 1885; 20 Oct 1902.

Reference: Volume 1, page 201

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