PERE, WIREMU (WILLIAM HALBERT), who died in 1915, was a chief of the Poverty Bay tribes Rongo-whakaata and Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki. He was a half-caste by birth, the son of Thomas Halbert, known to the Maori as Tame Poto, one of the earliest settlers at Poverty Bay (who was drowned 1866). His mother Riria te Mauharanui was captured by Tuhoe at Hauturu (about 1826). By descent he represented all the Takitimu and Horouta tribes and also some of Matatua (who were in latter days largely followers of Te Kooti and of the Ringatu cult).

Pere was Maori in his tastes and disposition, and is alleged to have had some sympathy with Te Kooti. It was through the Ringatu and Matatua support that he was first elected member for the Eastern Maori in 1884 (defeating Carroll and Tomoana) after having been defeated on his first candidature in 1881. At the next general election he was defeated (by 1,298 to 1,112) by J Carroll (q.v.), who had opposed the Stout-Vogel Government's native land administration act. In 1894 Carroll stood for a European seat; Wi Pere was again elected, and in spite of the hostile votes of the Arawa electors, he remained member until 1905 (when he was defeated by A. T. Ngata). Two years later he was called to the Legislative Council (his seat becoming vacant through absence in 1912).

Pere was prominent in the promotion of the New Zealand Land Settlement Co. for the East Coast (which was first mooted in 1882-83), the object being to neutralise the freetrade in native lands by developing and managing them in the interests of the native owners. He visited England with W. L. Rees in 1888, but they failed to obtain the necessary capital and, the company getting into difficulties, Pere and Carroll were in 1892 appointed trustees, and continued to act until relieved by the East Coast trust lands act 1902. Pere was one of the most able Maori politicians. He was a man of very determined character, a quality which, combined with a thorough grasp of Maori customs and tradition and great oratorical ability, made him a formidable leader of his people. Up to his time the representation of the Eastern district was more a matter of rivalry between the different canoes than of political views. It was the Arawa section who objected to the Kaihautu, or canoe captains, being constantly elected to Parliament, and there was a long struggle between them and the Takitimu people until Ngata's election in 1905. He died on 9 Dec 1915.

N.Z.P.D., 1884-87, 1894-1905, 1907-12; Lambert; Sir Apirana Ngata (information).

Portrait: N.Z Times, 10 Oct 1907.

Reference: Volume 2, page 84

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