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This campaign started as a side show to the Invasion of the Waikato, where British Imperial Troops , on behalf of the New Zealand Colonial Government , were fighting a confederation of Maori tribes known as the King Movement . The Kingites were receiving assistance, both materials and recruits, from many of the tribes in the North Island. In an effort to curb this flow of support the British sent an expedition to Tauranga a major harbour in the Bay of Plenty, some 100 km east of the conflict in the Waikato.
Their intention was merely to establish a base and adopt a defensive posture. However the local Maori, Ngai Te Rangi , could not afford to assume that this would always be the case. They responded with threats, insults, abuse, a programme of increasing provocation and then began raiding the British camp. Finally they built a strong Pa, a fortress or defensive position only 5km from the British camp.
The British commander, Colonel Greer, could not ignore this. It not only restricted his freedom of movement but also limited his control of Tauranga Harbour. He applied to Auckland for reinforcements so he could go on the offensive. His request arrived in Auckland just as the active conflict Waikato ended. The British commander, General Duncan Cameron, had just returned to Auckland where he was experiencing a lot of criticism from the Press and the Colonial government who saw the Waikato Campaign as a failure. True they had conquered and annexed a lot of territory but this had always been only the unspoken objective. The ostensible reason for invading the Waikato had been decisively beat the Maori in battle and make an end to the King Movement. This hadn't happened. It seems that Cameron saw in Tauranga a chance to achieve his decisive victory. Whatever the reasons he immediately sailed for Tauranga with his entire reserve bringing the garrison up to 1700 men.
Meanwhile fighting had already broken out nearby. A large contingent of East Coast Maori, possibly as many as 700 warriors were making their way towards the conflict in the Waikato. The route they chose took them through the territory of a tribe which saw themselves as allies of the Pakeha, the Arawa tribe based around RotoruaRotorua Urban Area Population 55,100 Extent Ngongotaha to Owhata TerritorialAuthority Name Rotorua District Population 67,600 Extent Mamaku to Lake Rotoma; Tokorau to Golden Springs RegionalCouncil Name Bay of Plenty Rotorua is a city located on the south. Forewarned of this the Arawa chiefs called home their tribesmen, many of whom were working in Auckland or further north. Pausing only in Tauranga to borrow what guns they could from the British, they hastened onward to Rotorua. Four hundred warriors of the tribe were mobilized, they met and held the East CoastGisborne is the name of a unitary authority (in this case, a region and district) in New Zealand. It contains the city of the same name. Gisborne Region The region is located in the northeastern corner of the North Island and is also referred to as the Ea Maori on 7 April in a two day battle on the shores of Lake RotoitiLake Rotoiti is the name of two lakes in New Zealand, one in the South Island and one in the North Island. Rotoiti is Maori for little lake''. Lake Rotoiti, Nelson The South Island's Lake Rotoiti lies within the borders of Nelson Lakes National Park..
The invaders fell back towards Maketu , a small settlement on the coast south east of Tauranga. A contingent of British troops and Colonial Militia hastily occupied the area and built a substantial redoubt on a nearby hilltop. In the event the enemy did not arrive for two weeks, until 27 April by which time a pair of field guns had also been installed. When they eventually arrived the East Coast Maori surrounded the redoubt and began digging trenches. The rest of the day was spent in desultory gun fire that achieved very little.
The following day reinforcements for the defenders arrived in the form of 300 Te Arawa warriors and two British naval steamships, one of them a heavily armed corvette. These were able to anchor close in to shore and bombard the attackers at will. The East Coast Maori soon found their position untenable and had to retreat. They tried to dig in further down the coast but were promptly attacked by the militia, the New Zealand Forest Rangers led by Captain Thomas McDonnell. A running fight through the sand dunes ensued and continued until dusk and was then resumed in the morning with the Arawa Maori lending enthusiastic assistance. Meanwhile the two naval ships kept pace with the fighting and any of the enemy Maori coming too close to the shore line was met with cannon fire.
Eventually the East Coast Maori dispersed into the swamps and returned home.
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