The Māhoetahi Cross Memorial stands alongside State Highway 3 andwas originally erected in wood sometime between 1909 and 1911. The site had earlier been fenced by the Scenery Preservation Society. This concrete replacement was made in 1941.
Part of the original wooden cross-piece is held in the collection of Puke Ariki Museum.
Inscription:
Me whakamaharatanga I nga Rangatira Toa o Waikato. / A Wetini Taiporutu ma I hinga ki konei tata, / I te Parekura I turia I te 6 Nowema 1860 / Erected / by / the N.Z.Govt.
[In remembrance of the brave chiefs of Waikato, of Wetini Taiporutu and his comrades who fell close to this spot in the battle fought on the 6th November 1860]
On 6 November 1958 a New Zealand Historic Places Trust plaque at the base of the hill was unveiled by Ormond Wilson, the Chairman of the Trust. The bronze plaque is now missing from the concrete base but read:
Battle of Mahoetahi / 6th November 1860 / Maori who fell are buried on this hill
A similar plaque marking the battle at Waireka was unveiled the same day.
Documents and plans:
Battlefield At Māhoetahi (Plan), The New Zealand Wars and the pioneering period (Vol. I), James Cowan (page 195)
Taranaki DP2631 Sheet 1 Block III Paritutu SD (1904), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki SO7887 Sheet 1 Block III Paritutu SD (1904), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP9284 Sheet 1 Subdn of Part Section 59B (1963), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP15006 Sheet 1 Māhoetahi Reserve (1984), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Māhoetahi NZ Wars memorial cross (NZ History)
LinkPlease do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.
The information on this website is provided for general research and reference only. While we try to keep content accurate and current, we make no guarantees about its completeness or correctness. It should not be considered a replacement for a LIM or a Property Report. Some content is supplied by third parties. Puke Ariki has not verified this content and users should check its accuracy before relying on it.The inclusion of a building on the website does not imply heritage status. See SCHED1 in the NPDC District Plan for a list of buildings that have rules about what can happen to or around them (administered by NPDC). See the New Zealand Heritage List for a list of buildings that are celebrated for their heritage significance but are not subject to rules (administered by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga). Should any corrections need to be made to the records or for more information please contact us.
