MAIR, WILLIAM GILBERT (1832-1912) was born at Wahapu, Bay of Islands, the eldest son of Gilbert Mair (q.v.). He was educated in part by John Fogan, an American settler, and afterwards at the mission school, Waimate, and St John's College, Auckland. He then farmed for a few years with his father at Deveron, Whangarei, and in 1853 went to the goldfields of Australia, where he spent three years.

Mair was an accomplished Maori linguist, and when the Waikato war broke out he joined the Colonial Defence Force cavalry under Nixon (1863). At the battle of Rangiaowhia (21 Feb 1864) he was in the van of the fighting when Nixon was wounded. Getting a door from a neighbouring hut, he helped to carry him out under heavy fire. He was present also at Hairini and at Orakau (Mar-Apr). When the siege had continued for some days General Cameron ordered Mair, owing to his coolness and knowledge of Maori, to advance and communicate with the defenders. While he parleyed he was covered by the rifles of the King soldiers in pits within a few yards of him, one of whom fired and cut his revolver strap. Cameron's invitation to the defenders to surrender in order to save the lives of the women and children evoked the historic reply "Ka whawhai tonu, ake, ake, ake"; the firing was renewed and the pa carried by assault. Mair led the assault and endeavoured (but failed) to save some women, including Hini-i-Turama from the fury of the soldiers. (See TAPSELL.) At the end of this campaign Mair was appointed native resident magistrate at Taupo. When fighting broke out in Bay of Plenty and on the East Coast he was promoted major in the militia. His command, the Arawa native contingent, was constantly in action in the difficult country south of Bay of Plenty and in the Urewera. Forcing his way through from Rotorua to Matata, he captured Te Teko pa brilliantly, the prisoners including the prophet and eight others implicated in the murder of Fulloon. When the campaign was over he again settled as magistrate at Waikato, his special duty being to cultivate a good understanding with Tawhiao and his chiefs. This he achieved with signal success, and eventually all laid down their arms.

In 1871 Mair married Janie Cathcart Black (Sydney). In 1882 he was appointed a judge of the native land court and the appellate court. In 1899, after the bombardment by British, German and American warships in Samoa, he was appointed to assess the damages suffered by residents. Mair died on 8 Jul 1912.

Jackson (p); Gudgeon (p); Cowan (p); Who's Who N.Z., 1908; N.Z. Herald, 9 Jul 1912.

Reference: Volume 2, page 26

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