TE TUHI, WIREMU PATARA (1823-1910) was a son of Paratere Maioha, of Ngati-Mahuta, a cousin of Tawhiao and nephew of Te Wherowhero. Educated at the mission schools, he became a clever writer. He was one of the founders of the King movement and edited the King paper Te Hokioi, which was established as counterblast to the Queen's paper Te Pihoihoi (run by Gorst). The Hokioi was printed on a press presented by Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Maori chiefs who had visited Austria in the Novara. Exasperated by the arguments of the Pihoihoi, Patara suggested ejecting Gorst from the district. When this was done he gave him accommodation at Te Awamutu pending his departure. It was Patara who first proposed sending back the timber from the barracks at Kohekohe to Te Ia. He was averse to war and wished the Waikato tribes to be entirely isolated from the pakeha after the outbreak in Taranaki (1861), in the hope that they would welcome peace and intercourse. His letter to Ngapora (q.v.), quoted by Gorst, throws much light on the intentions of the King leaders. He was always a temperate counsellor, but took some part in the fighting in the Waikato war (on the King side). Patara was a prominent figure at the King gathering at Whatiwhatihoe in 1882, and in 1884 accompanied Tawhiao to England. He died on 2 Jul 1910.

Cowan, Wars (p); Gorst, N.Z. Revisited; Auckland Star and N.Z. Herald, 4 Jul 1910. Portraits by F. Goldie in Auckland and Canterbury Art Galleries.

Reference: Volume 2, page 203

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