In the early hours of 11 March 1845, hundreds of Māori attacked Kororāreka. While the settlement had declined since the capital was moved from nearby Okiato to Auckland in 1841, it was still the fifth largest town in New Zealand and a major trading and ship-provisioning centre.
Hōne Heke and Kawiti were key figures in the attacking forces. Their opponents included another Ngāpuhi leader, Tāmati Wāka Nene. The motives for the fighting were complex. Heke wanted the Māori-language version of the Treaty of Waitangi to be honoured. He also wanted to preserve Māori independence and chiefly authority in the face of what he saw as increasing interference by the government.
The one-gun battery and two blockhouses defending the settlement were quickly captured. For a fourth, and final, time the British flag on Maiki Hill was cut down. Heke did not wish to harm settlers and most of the townspeople were evacuated to the ships Victoria and Active, which were anchored in the harbour.
The attack on Kororāreka was one of the rare occasions in the Northern War when the British forces were outnumbered, yet the attackers hesitated to press home their advantage. There was a desultory exchange of gunfire until the powder magazine at Polack’s Stockade was accidentally blown up by its defenders early in the afternoon. Following this explosion, HMS Hazard began to bombard the town. Māori took this as licence to plunder. The British ships sailed for Auckland next day, effectively surrendering Kororāreka to Heke and Kawiti. Between a dozen and 20 men had been killed on each side.
The fall of Kororāreka was a serious blow to the British, who lost an estimated £50,000 worth of property – equivalent to $5–6 million in 2016.
Read more on NZHistory
The sacking of Kororāreka – The Northern WarKororāreka – A frontier of chaos?Treaty events 1800-49 – Treaty timelinePre-1860 conflicts – New Zealand's 19th-century warsHōne HekeTe Ruki KawitiHMS Hazard NZ Wars memorial – Memorials registerRussell - roadside stories – A frontier of chaos?History of New Zealand, 1769-1914 – A history of New Zealand 1769-1914
External links
- Heke's war in the North (Te Ao Hou)
- Ngāpuhi (Te Ara)
- Hone Heke (DNZB)
- Te Ruki Kawiti (DNZB)
- The war that Britain lost (NZ On Screen)
- Northern wars (Te Ara)
How to cite this page
'The fall of Kororāreka ', URL: /the-flagstaff-is-cut-down-for-the-fourth-and-last-time-and-kororareka-is-invaded, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 19-Feb-2016