Wairau Incident

Tensions over land at Wairau, and injustices and insults against Ngāti Toa leaders reach their boiling point. Arthur Wakefield, the leader of the Nelson settlement decides to seize the land by force… Audio

On the 17th of June, 1843, an armed party of New Zealand Company settlers clashed with Ngati Toa over the purchase of land in the Wairau Valley. The settlers came off worst, losing 22 of their number… Audio, Gallery