On the 17th of June, 1843, an armed party of New Zealand Company settlers clashed with Ngāti Toa over the purchase of land in the Wairau Valley. The settlers came off worst, losing 22 of their number while just four Māori were killed. This affray happened at Tuamarina, 10 km north of today's town of Blenheim. Historian Peter Clayworth explains how the incident taught the settlers that Maori warriors were a force to be reckoned with.
11 Jun 2020
