A Case Study of relations between the Crown and Maori in the 1840s

Illustration by an unknown artist.

November 1841: A Settler household is found dead in their burnt out farm, after local settlers come to investigate a fire seen the previous night.

Further investigation discovers the body of Gordon Roberton, 8 years old, at the bottom of a cliff.

Digging through the remains of the farm reveals the following bodies:

Mrs Elizabeth Roberton – Owner of the farm.

Her two year old daughter. Isabella Brind – a young servant girl. Thomas Bull – chief farm hand, who has

had his head smashed in by an axe. Missing from the household is Maketu

Wharetotara, who works as a farmhand.

Maketu was often hit and verbally abused by Thomas Bull.

Maketu was the son of a local chief. Household items belonging to the Robertons

were recovered from local Maori, who stated they had received them from Maketu.

Maketu’s family had a history of mental illness. There were no witnesses to the actual event. Maketu claimed to have committed the killings.

What impact does the TOW have on these events?

Under British law what standard of proof is needed to prove guilt?

Did this case meet this standard? How do these events fit under the Maori

system of ‘Utu’? What do you think should have happened

to Maketu?