YATE, WILLIAM, was educated at the Church Missionary Society's college, and ordained deacon (1825), and priest (1826). He was for some time curate of St Swithin's, London East, and in 1827 proceeded in the convict ship Sovereign to New South Wales, where he was the guest of Marsden at Parramatta for some time. He was a popular preacher in Sydney, and had an influential following. In Jan 1828 Yate came to join the mission at Bay of Islands. He made a careful study of Maori, and as a conchologist made a fine collection of shells for the British Museum. In 1830 he proceeded to Sydney to publish the second portion of the Scriptures translated into Maori. He brought back with him a small printing press and a boy (James Smith) who had had slight experience in the office of the Sydney Gazette. They printed a few hymns. In 1831 Yate, proceeding in the Active to search for the Haweis, visited Tonga and other islands. In 1833 he was again in Sydney superintending the publication of three books for the mission.

Returning to New Zealand in the Nereus, he accompanied W. Williams to Thames. As secretary to the mission in New Zealand, he forwarded the petition of the chiefs for protection to William IV (1831). In 1834 he described for the Society the visit of H.M.S. Alligator and the selection of the New Zealand flag. He proceeded to England shortly afterwards, and returned to New South Wales by the Prince Regent in 1836. While he was in charge of St James's church in Sydney, Bishop Broughton interdicted him from officiating on account of charges against his moral conduct which were never answered. In Dec 1836 he sailed for England in the Ulysses, but the Society refused to reopen his case. In 1835 Yate published his scholarly book Account of New Zealand, and in 1843 a letter in his own defence. He was later chaplain to the Sailors' Rest in Dover.

Yate, op. cit.; Carleton; Hocken, in Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 33, p. 472; Marsden, L. and J.; Clarke; Scholefield, Henry Williams.

Reference: Volume 2, page 271

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