Between the 1870's and
the 1880's diplomatic negotiations were carried on with the Māori.
However, only one Governor actually attempted a meeting with the
Taranaki prophets - Sir Arthur Gordon. Gordon disapproved of the
way by which land was disappearing from the Māori in favour of the
settlers, but local support for his policy was lacking.
The Native Minister at the time, John Bryce, wanted
to use force to remove the Parihaka prophets in order to proceed
with the land surveys.
In 1878, the Grey Government acted, by commencing
a survey of the Waimate Plains which were to the north of the Waingongoro
River. Te Whiti ordered his followers not to attack the surveyors.
However, in retaliation for a past wrong, one member of the survey
party was killed by a Māori called Hiroki. Hiroki immediately sought
refuge with Te Whiti, and when requested by the Europeans, Te Whiti
refused to hand Hiroki over for trial.
The Parihaka Māori commenced a pacifist resistance
to the continuing governmental survey by regularly removing the
survey pegs placed by the surveyors. They then began ploughing up
unoccupied settlers land in May of 1879. This period became known
as "the year of the plough".
Although the settlers feared war, the Parihakas remained
Exasperated, the police started out by arresting the
ploughmen, but each time Te Whiti and Tohu send new unarmed ploughman
groups to continue. The arrested ploughmen were imprisoned for a
number of months, without trial - later to be extended. The aim
was to retain the Parihaka activists in prison until the Commission
had terminated the area survey.
With the main group of activists in prison, the time
was now convenient to commence construction of a road extending
north from the Waingongoro River, and south from the Stoney River.
This, however, involved cutting through Māori fences.
The fences which were cut by the Government surveyors were regularly repaired
by Te Whiti, Tohu and the Parihaka community, seriously hampering
the road construction plans.
Losing patience, the Native Minister Bryce, accompanied
by 1600 Volunteers and Armed Constabulary members entered Parihaka
on 5th November 1881. They met with no resistance.