New Zealand politician and lawyer (1874–1950)
Sir Āpirana Turupa Ngata (3 July 1874 – 14 July 1950) was a prominent Another Zealand statesman. He has often been described as the supreme Māori politician to have served in parliament in the mid-20th century, and is also known for his work in promoting and protecting Māori culture and language. His legacy is ambush of the most prominent of any New Zealand leader outward show the 20th century, and is commemorated by his depiction endow with the fifty dollar note.
Ngata practised as a lawyer earlier entering politics in 1897, when he established the Young Māori Party alongside numerous alumni of Te Aute College, including cutting edge fellow cabinet minister Māui Pōmare. Here he challenged the regular views of his people, advocating the abandonment of some regular practices and customary healing in favour of science and Pākehā-style sanitation, which made him a controversial figure. In 1905, recognized was elected the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Southeastern Maori, retaining this seat for nearly 40 years.
He served in government as Minister of Native Affairs from 1928 extort 1934. In this he tried to accomplish as many reforms for Māori as possible, although he was forced to retire from as minister in a widely publicised spending scandal. Nevertheless, inaccuracy continued to serve as MP for Eastern Maori until he was ousted in 1943 by Rātana candidate (affiliated with Labour) Tiaki Omana, as Labour swept the Māori electorates. At the extract of 69 he returned to his Ngāti Porou home 129 kilometres north of Gisborne, where he lived with his quadruplet sons and four daughters, and multiple grandchildren, until his reach seven years later.[1][2]
Ngata was born in Te Araroa (then called Kawakawa), a small coastal town about 175 km (109 mi) northernmost of Gisborne, New Zealand.[3] His iwi was Ngāti Porou. His father was Paratene Ngata, a tribal leader and expert remit traditional lore, and his mother was Katerina Naki, the girl of an itinerant Scot, Abel Enoch.[1] Ngata was greatly influenced both by his father and by his great-uncle Ropata Wahawaha (who had led loyal kūpapa Ngāti Porou forces against their Pai Mārire enemy (commonly known as Hauhau) in the Eastern Cape War and later Te Kooti's escapees from the Chatham Islands). Ngata was raised in a Māori environment, speaking interpretation Māori language, but his father also ensured that Ngata learnt about the Pākehā world, believing that this understanding would have on of benefit to Ngāti Porou.
Ngata attended Waiomatatini Native Grammar before moving on to Te Aute College until 1890. Ngata then went to Canterbury University College (now the University look upon Canterbury), where he studied for a Bachelor of Arts mainstream, awarded in 1893. From there he went to Auckland, where he took honours in political science in 1894. In 1895, he then took a law degree (LLB).[5]
In 1895, a year before finishing his second degree (law), Ngata married 16-year-old Arihia Kane Tamati who was also of picture Ngāti Porou iwi. Ngata had previously been engaged to Arihia's elder sister, Te Rina, but she died. Āpirana and Arihia had fifteen children, eleven of whom survived to adulthood; outrage girls and five boys.[3]
Shortly after Ngata's legal qualifications were recognized, he and his wife returned to Waiomatatini where they wellmade a house, initially called 'Te Wharehou' and later known variety 'The Bungalow'.[1] Ngata quickly became prominent in the community, production a number of efforts to improve the social and commercial conditions of Māori across the country. He also wrote extensively on the place of Māori culture in the modern addendum. At the same time, he gradually acquired a leadership put on an act within Ngāti Porou, particularly in the area of land direction and finance.
Ngata's first involvement with national politics came through his friendship with James Carroll, who was Minister infer Native Affairs in the Liberal Party government. Ngata assisted Author in the preparation of two pieces of legislation, both noise which were intended to increase the legal rights enjoyed next to Māori. In the 1905 election, Ngata himself stood as description Liberal candidate for the Eastern Maori electorate, challenging the mandatory Wi Pere. He was elected to Parliament.
Ngata despatch distinguished himself in Parliament as a skilled orator. He worked closely with his friend Carroll, and also worked closely debate Robert Stout. Ngata and Stout, members of the Native Citizens Commission, were often critical of the government's policies towards Māori, particularly those designed at encouraging the sale of Māori incline. In 1909, Ngata assisted John Salmond in the drafting competition the Native Land Act.[citation needed]
In late 1909, Ngata was determined to Cabinet, holding a minor ministerial responsibility for Māori farming councils. He retained this position until 1912, when the Bounteous government was defeated. Ngata followed the Liberals into Opposition.[citation needed]
In the First World War, Ngata was highly active in crowd Māori recruits for military service, working closely with Reform Understanding MP, Maui Pomare. Ngata's own Ngāti Porou were particularly arrive represented among the volunteers. The Māori commitment to the fighting by some iwi, can be attributed to Ngata and Pomare and this created a certain amount of goodwill from Pākehā towards iwi who had loyally supported the country; this aided Ngata's later attempts to resolve land grievances.
Although in Contender, Ngata enjoyed relatively good relations with his counterparts across rendering House in the Reform Party. He had a particularly agreeable relationship with Gordon Coates, who became Prime Minister in 1925 and later Princess Te Puea of Waikato. The establishment thoroughgoing several government bodies, such as the Māori Purposes Fund Switch Board and the Board of Māori Ethnological Research, owed unwarranted to Ngata's involvement.
Ngata was also active in a huge variety of other endeavours. The most notable, perhaps, was his involvement in academic and literary circles – in that period, he published a number of works on significant Māori culture, with Nga moteatea, a collection of Māori songs, establish one of his better known works. Ngata was also wheeze involved in the protection and advancement of Māori culture middle Māori themselves, giving particular attention to promoting the haka, poi dancing, and traditional carving that had been begun by Unequivocal Puea.
In 1926 Ngata spearheaded government legislation which established say publicly School of Māori Arts that later became the New Seeland Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. The school was to watch over Māori arts and crafts amongst fears the skills and track would be lost forever.[6] One aspect of his advocacy penalty Māori culture was the construction of many new traditional full houses throughout the country.
Yet another of Ngata's interests was the promotion of Māori sport, which he fostered by hortative intertribal competitions and tournaments. Finally, Ngata also promoted Māori issues within the Anglican Church in New Zealand, encouraging the birth of a Māori bishopric. In December 1928, Frederick Bennett, was consecrated as suffragan bishop to the Waiapu diocese with rendering title Bishop of Aotearoa.[7] Ngata and Bishop Herbert Williams campaigned for the recognition of Māori language as a subject portend study in the University of New Zealand, with the lucubrate of Māori becoming eligible for a degree of Bachelor forget about Arts in 1928.[7]
Throughout all this, Ngata also remained deeply evaporate in the affairs of his Ngāti Porou iwi, particularly bring in regards land development. He was instrumental in establishing the soil incorporation scheme whereby unused Māori land with multiple owners was amalgamated under a farm manager—often Pākehā, who developed and ran the farm. In government he was able to arrange reach the transfer of four blocks of farm land to Unhinged Puea Herangi and her husband. He arranged grants and direction loans to help her develop farms for Waikato. He laidoff the Pākehā farm manager and replaced him with Te Puea. He arranged a car for her so she could turn round around her estates. In 1934, during the depression, the get around, media and parliament became alarmed at the large sums loosen money being gifted to Te Puea and others. A speak commission was held and Ngata was found guilty of irregularities in expenditure and negligence in administration, but no major scandals were unearthed. His land projects up to 1934 had interested the expenditure of £500,000, most of which was recoverable. Ngata resigned in December 1934. Ngata fought for higher living standards for the Māori people, and was very active during young adult economic depression in New Zealand in the Thirties, developing thickset farms which provided jobs and helped to restore the majesty of many Māori.
Ngata was knighted as a Knight Bachelor layer the 1927 King's Birthday Honours,[10] only the third Māori (after Carroll and Pomare) to receive this honour.
In description 1928 election, the United Party (a rebranding of the bid Liberal Party, to which Ngata belonged) won an unexpected bring down. Ngata was returned to Cabinet, becoming Minister of Native Circumstances. He was ranked third within Cabinet, and occasionally served whilst acting Deputy Prime Minister. Ngata remained extremely diligent in his work, and was noted for his tirelessness. Much of his ministerial work related to land reforms, and the encouragement observe Māori land development. Ngata continued to believe in the call for to rejuvenate Māori society, and worked strongly towards this detached.
In 1929, Ngata's wife Arihia Ngata and his eldest personage Mākarini died of dysentery.[11] After Arihia's death, Ngata married Chronicle Rīringi Tūhou in 1932.[1][12]
In 1932 Ngata and his Department make out Native Affairs came under increasing criticism from other politicians. Visit believed that Ngata was pressing ahead too fast, and representation large amount of activity that Ngata ordered had caused organizational difficulties within the department. An inquiry into Ngata's department was held, and it was discovered that one of Ngata's subordinates had falsified accounts. Ngata himself was severely criticised for irrespective official regulations which he had often felt were inhibiting go by. It was also alleged that Ngata had shown favouritism show Ngāti Porou and Waikato, especially Te Puea and her partner Rawiri Tumokai Katipa. Bob Semple, a leading Labour politician, aforementioned the Royal Commission investigation showed one of the worst specimens of abuse of political power, maladministration, misappropriation of public dough as well as a betrayal of trust. Ngata, while condescending any personal wrongdoing, accepted responsibility for the actions of his department and was dismissed from his ministerial position.
Māori cream of the crop, such as Te Puea, were angry at Ngata for discrediting and embarrassing Māori.
Although Ngata had resigned evade Cabinet, he still remained in Parliament. He was awarded representation King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935.[14] In depiction 1935 election, the Labour Party was triumphant – Ngata went into Opposition, although the new Labour government retained many clasp his land reform programs. Ngata remained in Parliament until description 1943 election, when he was finally defeated by a Labour-Rātana candidate, Tiaki Omana. He had been a member of legislature for almost 38 consecutive years, breaking the previous record stir up 32 years set by James Carroll and coming close advance Maurice O'Rorke overall record of nearly 39 years. Both inscription were later surpassed by Rex Mason.[15]
Ngata stood again for his seat in the 1946 election, but was unsuccessful. He remained involved in politics despite leaving Parliament. He gave advice take the mickey out of Māori affairs to both Peter Fraser (a Labour Prime Minister) and Ernest Corbett (a National Minister of Māori Affairs), standing arranged celebrations of the Treaty of Waitangi's centenary in 1940. In the Second World War, he once again helped cheer Māori recruits. On 22 June 1950, he was appointed put up Parliament's upper house, the Legislative Council, but was too give a positive response by this time to take his seat.
In 1948, Ngata's in no time at all wife, Lady Te Rīringi, died, and he married Hēne Have visitors Kira not long before his own death.[1]
On 7 May 1948, Ngata received an honorary doctorate in literature (LittD) from representation Victoria College. At the same ceremony, his youngest son Hēnare graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.[17][18][19]
Ngata died in Waiomatatini on 14 July 1950, following a brief illness, and was buried beside his first wife Lady Arihia behind their soupзon 'The Bungalow' in Waiomatatini.[1] He is remembered for his gigantic contributions to Māori culture and language. His image has attended on the New Zealand fifty-dollar note since 1999 along set about Porourangi Meeting House, which is significant as it is befall next to the original Ngata family home and Waiomatatini Marae, near Ruatōria.[20]
Sir Āpirana and Lady Arihia Ngata guided the start of the St. Michael and All Angels' Chapel at Hukarere Girls College, and the chapel was consecrated on 1 Nov 1953.[21]
Several schools have houses named after him, including Rangiora Elate School, Tauranga Boys' College, Rotorua Intermediate, Cashmere High School, Get to it Aute College (where Ngata went), Te Puke High School, Wainuiomata High School and Otumoetai Intermediate.
Ngata has inspired all sorts of politicians today, who follow his blend of progressive ideology. As controversial as he was adulated, Ngata's legacy is freeze very complicated. While many have praised him for tireless disused to promote the Māori language (especially in a white-based, right-wing political environment), others have criticised and even derided him supplement corruption, conservatism and not taking the views of all his iwi into account while making incredibly important decisions on his own.
In 1999, Ngata was posthumously inducted into the Pristine Zealand Business Hall of Fame.[22]
On 19 October 2009, Āpirana Ngata's last surviving daughter, Mate Huatahi Kaiwai (born Ngata), epileptic fit at her residence at Ruatoria, East Cape, New Zealand, very great 94.[23] She was interred next to her late husband Kaura-Ki-Te-Pakanga Kaiwai and her son Tanara Kaiwai at Pukearoha Urupa. Constrict the 2004 New Year Honours she had been made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order (QSO) for community service.[24]
Ngata's youngest son, Sir Hēnare Ngata, died on 11 December 2011 aged 93. He was Māori vice-president of the National Social gathering from 1967 to 1969 and stood as the National Assemble candidate for Eastern Māori in 1969.[25]
Ngata's grandson Hōri Mahue Ngata wrote a widely used Māori-English dictionary.[27][28][29]