TITORE PAKI (? 1775-1837) belonged to Ngapuhi and lived at Kororareka. Over six feet in height and very handsome, he was mild and friendly in manner to the early visitors and very industrious in his habits. By his marriage with a sister of Hongi he acquired great influence. In 1815 he crossed to Port Jackson and spent two years in Marsden's care at Parramatta, learning European arts and customs. Then at the request of Marsden he and Tuhi (q.v.) were taken to England in H.M.S. Kangaroo (1817). After varied experiences there they returned to Australia (Jan 1819) in the convict ship Baring under the care of the Rev J. G. Butler. On 29 Jul 1819 they sailed for New Zealand with Marsden in the General Gates. Marsden's high hopes from the experience gained in these years by Titore and his companion were doomed to be disappointed. When he visited New Zealand again in the Dromedary (1820) he found that Titore had been on a war expedition with Te Wera to East Coast or the Thames; and in his subsequent life he showed little disposition to resist the temptations to tribal strife. It was through his instrumentality that Tapsell (q.v.) was settled amongst the Arawa at Maketu in 1828. He generally supported the missions, and in 1830 assisted Marsden to bring about a settlement of the girls' war at Bay of Islands. He was one of the signatories to the petition to King William IV for protection (1831). Busby considered him the most influential and intelligent chief in the north. He was certainly a valued protector of the British residency and energetic in the punishment of all outrages against British authority. In 1834 he procured spars for the Buffalo and undertook to reserve for the Royal Navy the spars in his forests at Whangaroa. In consideration of his services William IV in 1835 sent him a suit of armour of the time of Charles I. When the Ngapuhi returned from seeking revenge for the destruction of Haramiti's expedition at Tauranga they prevailed upon Titore to assist in carrying on the war, and several expeditions were made under Titore, Rewa, Te Morenga, Moka and Tareha. Returning to Bay of Islands (Nov 1832) they prepared a new taua of 600 men, including a strong detachment of Panakareao's Rarawa. The Rev Henry Williams overtook them and reached Maketu first, but his efforts to prevent fighting failed. The Maketu people, believing that Titore was attacking on the other side, assaulted the Ngati-Awa pa of Te Tumu. The old jealousy of Pomare and Titore came to a head in Mar 1837 when these chiefs, with allies from all sections of Ngapuhi and even from Rarawa, became engaged in a destructive war. Titore sent a force 'of 800 men' in 40 canoes against Pomare's position at Otuihu. Low-class whites and half-castes and many Christian chiefs were enrolled on each side, and much bloodshed occurred. Titore was already in a serious decline, becoming so weak during the fighting that he could not speak. He received a wound from which he died on 1 Jun 1837, adjuring his people to protect the pakeha. Though not a strong Christian he had a neat, clean place of worship and a school in which his son Marsden taught. Hobson considered him an excellent chief and the Rattlesnake fired a salute of seven guns at his death. Titore's other son died while with the Rev Samuel Marsden at Parramatta (1820).

Ramsden (p); Buller; Carleton; S. P. Smith, Wars; Cruise; Marsden, L. and J.

Reference: Volume 2, page 197

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