Menu
The Arahura Deed, 1860.
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionAssistant Native Secretary and Assistant Land Purchase Commissioner James Mackay Junior first visited Te Tai Poutini in 1857 from Collingwood. He was greeted courteously at Māwhera (Greymouth) by Werita Tainui’s older brother Tarapuhi, who was said to be a very well made, muscular man over six feet in height.
Mackay told Tarapuhi that his land had been sold to the Government by Ngāti Toa under the 1853 Waipounamu Purchase, at which point Tarapuhi produced a letter addressed to Donald McLean (Chief Land Purchase Commissioner) from the Poutini chiefs. It asserted Poutini ownership of the land in question and declared Ngāti Toa to be “thieves, as their feet have never trodden this ground.”
The letter stated that the chiefs did not want Europeans coming to live on their land without payment, but that they were prepared to sell their whole territory to the Government – from Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) in the south by way of the Main Divide to Lake Rotoroa, and thence to the coast at Kahurangi, south of Whanganui Inlet – in return for £2,500 and a suitable share of land for themselves.
Mackay returned to Nelson with the chiefs’ letter as well as coal samples, and reported that the West Coast was “suitable for grazing.”
In November 1858, he received instruction from Donald McLean to carry out the Kaikōura and Arahura Purchases immediately. To that end, Mackay wrote to Tarapuhi telling him that he wished to negotiate the purchase of Māwhera, Kawatiri, Mokihinui, Karamea, Hokitika, Okau and Piopiotahi. He asked Tarapuhi to arrange a gathering of all customary owners at Māwhera.
Mackay was given full discretion (by McLean) to negotiate the sale as he saw fit. After completing the Kaikōura Purchase in 1859, he travelled to Māwhera, stopping in Christchurch to collect the 200 pounds that McLean had authorised as payment for the Poutini Coast.
Upon arrival at Māwhera, Mackay discovered that the negotiation was not as easy as he had expected. He failed to persuade the gathered chiefs to accept McLean’s terms, and the government offer of £200 with 500 acres of reserves was scornfully rejected.
After four weeks of wrangling with no further progress, Mackay left the coast to get further instruction. In Auckland he was authorised to offer £400 and up to 12,000 acres in reserves.
Subsequently on 21 May, 1860, after a further two months of negotiations, Mackay at last got the Arahura Deed signed by the leading Poutini chiefs at Māwhera. They surrendered their customary title to nearly 3 million hectares in return for £300 and 10,224 acres (4,138 hectares) in reserves. Of that, 3,500 acres were reserved as an endowment “for religious, social and moral purposes” while the other 6,724 acres were for the use of Poutini Ngāi Tahu.
The Māwhera landing place reserve of 500 acres was insisted upon by Tarapuhi and would prove to be the most valuable of these. It provided the site for Greymouth town and from 1865, the leasing of sections provided Māori owners with regular revenue (at low rentals administered by the Government).
The chief importance of this deed to Ngāi Tahu was that it recognised their claim to large areas that had previously been credited to Ngāti Toa under the Waipounamu Purchase of 1853.
Courtesy of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi TahuDate of Photo1860Map[1] External LinkThe Arahura DeedContributorTamai Sinclair
Mackay told Tarapuhi that his land had been sold to the Government by Ngāti Toa under the 1853 Waipounamu Purchase, at which point Tarapuhi produced a letter addressed to Donald McLean (Chief Land Purchase Commissioner) from the Poutini chiefs. It asserted Poutini ownership of the land in question and declared Ngāti Toa to be “thieves, as their feet have never trodden this ground.”
The letter stated that the chiefs did not want Europeans coming to live on their land without payment, but that they were prepared to sell their whole territory to the Government – from Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) in the south by way of the Main Divide to Lake Rotoroa, and thence to the coast at Kahurangi, south of Whanganui Inlet – in return for £2,500 and a suitable share of land for themselves.
Mackay returned to Nelson with the chiefs’ letter as well as coal samples, and reported that the West Coast was “suitable for grazing.”
In November 1858, he received instruction from Donald McLean to carry out the Kaikōura and Arahura Purchases immediately. To that end, Mackay wrote to Tarapuhi telling him that he wished to negotiate the purchase of Māwhera, Kawatiri, Mokihinui, Karamea, Hokitika, Okau and Piopiotahi. He asked Tarapuhi to arrange a gathering of all customary owners at Māwhera.
Mackay was given full discretion (by McLean) to negotiate the sale as he saw fit. After completing the Kaikōura Purchase in 1859, he travelled to Māwhera, stopping in Christchurch to collect the 200 pounds that McLean had authorised as payment for the Poutini Coast.
Upon arrival at Māwhera, Mackay discovered that the negotiation was not as easy as he had expected. He failed to persuade the gathered chiefs to accept McLean’s terms, and the government offer of £200 with 500 acres of reserves was scornfully rejected.
After four weeks of wrangling with no further progress, Mackay left the coast to get further instruction. In Auckland he was authorised to offer £400 and up to 12,000 acres in reserves.
Subsequently on 21 May, 1860, after a further two months of negotiations, Mackay at last got the Arahura Deed signed by the leading Poutini chiefs at Māwhera. They surrendered their customary title to nearly 3 million hectares in return for £300 and 10,224 acres (4,138 hectares) in reserves. Of that, 3,500 acres were reserved as an endowment “for religious, social and moral purposes” while the other 6,724 acres were for the use of Poutini Ngāi Tahu.
The Māwhera landing place reserve of 500 acres was insisted upon by Tarapuhi and would prove to be the most valuable of these. It provided the site for Greymouth town and from 1865, the leasing of sections provided Māori owners with regular revenue (at low rentals administered by the Government).
The chief importance of this deed to Ngāi Tahu was that it recognised their claim to large areas that had previously been credited to Ngāti Toa under the Waipounamu Purchase of 1853.
Courtesy of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi TahuDate of Photo1860Map[1] External LinkThe Arahura DeedContributorTamai Sinclair
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)ArahuraOrganisation (eg business)The Arahura DeedEventThe Arahura Deed, 1860.
From Facebook
Date Created5th July 2021CommentsMatt Evans
Rachael Evans
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer
This is an excellent article, well written and informative. Thanks for posting
Heather Newby
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer i agree,, an excellent article
Bruce Whitfield
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer I agree.
Tangi Weepu
Some of the information needed more research.
Chris Windley
Fascinating. Thank you.
Kyle Webster
What of Kemp's purchase? I take it East Coast matters were not relevant to the West....but wondering if it had any relevance to Western matters. https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/our_stories/kemps-deed-1848/
Kemp’s Deed, 1848 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
NGAITAHU.IWI.NZ
Kemp’s Deed, 1848 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
Kemp’s Deed, 1848 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
Selwyn Leitch
Kiaora Tamai. Thanks for your input here. I found it most interesting and enlightening.
Janet Webster
Thank you. Its the best explanation I have seen.
James Paul Lindsay Carson
Sounds to me like ...the owners were riped off ..taken for a ride ..shafted ...or have i got it wrong ...i dont think so ..
Kaye McNabb
James Paul Lindsay Carson seems like they were clever and tough negotiators. What makes you think the we're ripped off.?
James Paul Lindsay Carson
Kaye McNabb ha ha..lol.if you can justfied...paying as little as they ..did ...4 what they got the westcoast..
Paul Holder
James Paul Lindsay Carson they got a better price from what they originally ask for, ASKED
James Paul Lindsay Carson
Paul Holder lol....
Rachael Evans
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer
This is an excellent article, well written and informative. Thanks for posting
Heather Newby
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer i agree,, an excellent article
Bruce Whitfield
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer I agree.
Tangi Weepu
Some of the information needed more research.
Chris Windley
Fascinating. Thank you.
Kyle Webster
What of Kemp's purchase? I take it East Coast matters were not relevant to the West....but wondering if it had any relevance to Western matters. https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/our_stories/kemps-deed-1848/
Kemp’s Deed, 1848 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
NGAITAHU.IWI.NZ
Kemp’s Deed, 1848 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
Kemp’s Deed, 1848 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
Selwyn Leitch
Kiaora Tamai. Thanks for your input here. I found it most interesting and enlightening.
Janet Webster
Thank you. Its the best explanation I have seen.
James Paul Lindsay Carson
Sounds to me like ...the owners were riped off ..taken for a ride ..shafted ...or have i got it wrong ...i dont think so ..
Kaye McNabb
James Paul Lindsay Carson seems like they were clever and tough negotiators. What makes you think the we're ripped off.?
James Paul Lindsay Carson
Kaye McNabb ha ha..lol.if you can justfied...paying as little as they ..did ...4 what they got the westcoast..
Paul Holder
James Paul Lindsay Carson they got a better price from what they originally ask for, ASKED
James Paul Lindsay Carson
Paul Holder lol....
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel EditClick on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (6th Jul 2021). The Arahura Deed, 1860.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 6th Apr 2026 12:02, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29596