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Story: Marlborough region

Puhuriwhenua cannon

Puhuriwhenua cannon

This cannon, known as Puhuriwhenua (earth shaker), sits outside the offices of the Marlborough District Council in Blenheim. According to his son, who recounted the story in the Marlborough Daily Times of 16 January 1901, whaler John (Jacky) Guard bought the cannon in Sydney in 1833. He offered it to Nohorua, a relative of Te Rauparaha, as payment for the right to occupy Kākāpō Bay, where Guard was based in the 1830s. At some time when Nohorua was absent, the cannon was stolen by Captain John Blenkinsopp. He gave it to Te Rauparaha in exchange for access to wood and water for his ship, but later claimed that the chief had signed away the Wairau plain in exchange for the cannon. This claim was not upheld by the colonial authorities.

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How to cite this page

Malcolm McKinnon, Marlborough region – Early Europeans, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/31761/puhuriwhenua-cannon (accessed 23 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 9 May 2011, updated 1 November 2016.

Comments

Jenny Pierson
18 July 2011
It has always been known as the Blenkinsopp cannon all the while it has been sited outside the Marlborough District Council offices, in at least two different places. It may be known as Puhuriwhenu as well, but it would have been better if you'd used both names.
Garry Dowling
14 May 2011
It's the freaking "Blenkinsopp Cannon" you fools. Don't change history to suit your own agenda!! In case I'm wrong though, prove it to me.