Octavius Hadfield and the Waitara dispute

Abstract

The “causes” of the Anglo-Maori Wars have long provided, and doubtless will continue to provide, a fruitful topic for debate and contention among historians. Perhaps the most valuable contributions to this debate have been made by Dr Keith Sinclair, whose works have acted as a tremendous stimulus and exacting example to other students of this topic. My own interest in Octavius Hadfield was, in fact, initially stirred by Sinclair's allusion to a certain "nineteenth century Archdeacon" of that name, whose comments originally prompted Sinclair's questioning of certain long-held assumptions concerning the “Maori Land League.” My aim, in this thesis, is to linlc Octavius Hadfield, his character and his ideas, with the issues, both general and specific, surrounding the Waitara dispute. I have not attempted to discuss all the arguments and points of controversy concerning this particular dispute, and the Anglo-Maori Wars in general, or to draw definite conclusions regarding them. To have done so would have compelled me to extend this thesis to at least twice its present length. Suffice it to say, that on nearly all the points which I do discuss - with the exception of the Otaki Petition controversy - my own research has led me into considerable agreement with Sinclair's conclusions.