Story: Rivers

Gunboat on the Waikato River

Gunboat on the Waikato River

In this illustration a British gunboat, the Pioneer, bombards a Māori at Meremere during wars in the Waikato in 1863. That year British forces invaded the region, on the pretext of suppressing Māori rebellion. However, the underlying motive was to gain access to the fertile lands of the Waikato. Local tribes and their allies put up strong resistance, building pā at several points along the Waikato River. The invading force used gunboats to shell these defences.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: A-110-006
Engraving by H. Baille

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

David Young, 'Rivers - The impact of European settlement', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/14694/gunboat-on-the-waikato-river (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by David Young, published 24 Sep 2007