Page 216 - Puhipi

Te Aitanga a Tumoana

Rapunga Kupu Akoako: (korero taken from "Boroughdale Murray, the beginning of a NZ
dynasty"et al) Ngawini Annie Ani Murray; the eldest daughter of John and Kataraina was
perhaps the best known of the Murray family. Eventually because of her high rank she inherited
ownership of her family lands, which included some land of the far northern tribe, Te Aupouri, who
had been defeated by Te Rarawa in the 1820s.

She married Samuel Yates, the son of a London solicitor who had been educated in Liverpool and
Paris, they made their home at Paua which is situated on a headland projecting into the
Parengarenga harbour. Through her tribal connections, Samuel was able to acquire a huge station of
some 137,000 acres, part of which was freehold and part leashold, and it extended from Te Kao to
the North Cape. With the help of Ngawini, Samuel establised an almost self contained little empire
and became known as the "King of the Far North", but there is no doubt that his wife was a "power
behind the throne".
At Paua they built an eleven roomed homestead, three workers cottages, stables, outhouses, a
general store, a gum sorting shed and a boarding house, while at Tapotupotu, just above highwater
mark in its sheltered little inlet, they erected another cottage. This served two purposes. It provided
accommodation for his Auckland friends, who included his cousins, Standish Jones and members of
the well known Nathan and Samuels families, when they came for the shooting season, or for
fishing. Its other use was to provide shelter for the musterers when on a "drive".

Never a figurehead, Ngawini played a more and more leading part in the running of the huge station,
until eventually when her husband grew old, she was more or less in charge. She organised the great
musters of their sheep and cattle, and sometimes assisted in the musters herself. Under her
management the station developed a breed of its own, the Lineback which was a white faced
Hereford animal with a white line down its spine. Linebacks were large animals with very long
horns and could run like deer, but when trained made excellent working bullocks.

Although they lived in a very remote part of Aotearoa, Ngawini and her husband were determined
that thier children should all have a good education. They employed a governess to teach them
during thier primary school years and then sent them to boarding schools - Wanganui Girls
Collegiate, Onehunga High, New Plymouth High.

Samuel was a very shrewd businessman, and during the gum era, he conducted a flourishing
business in his gum store, from where over 400 tons of good quality gum was shipped off each
year. During the gum boom over 300 diggers, Maoris, Australians, Dalmations and others were
working on the Yates Parengarenga station.

After Samuel died, Ngawini ruled her Far North Kingdom for a further 10 years and then in 1910
when her youngest daughter, Josephine was being presented at Court in England, she died at her
residence at the comparatively young age of 56yrs. This generous, capable woman was described
on her headstone as being "Beloved of both Pakeha and Maori".
Ngawini marena Samuel Yates [978] [MRIN: 410], son of Saul Yates [1012]
and Sarah Isaacs [2024], about 1863. Samuel was born about 1829 in Liverpool,
England, died on 14 Sep 1900 in Onboard the SS Paeroa aged about 71, and was
buried on 16 Sep 1900 in Jewish Cemetery, Karangahape Road.
Rapunga Kupu Akoako: (korero taken from "Boroughdale Murray, the
beginning of a NZ dynasty"et al) Samuel Yates; was the son of a London
Solicitor and was educated in Liverpool and Paris. While in Paris he became
aquainted with Napolean who presented him with his autograph.
Samuel Yates
Arriving in Aotearoa on the Monarch in 1852, he bought three acres on
Mangonui waterfront, establishing a general store in 1853. In 1863 he visited
the Far North (Parengarenga) and liked it so much he decided to settle there, and in due course he met
Ngawini and although many years her senior, they were married and made Paua their home.

In 1900 knowing his end was near, Samuel felt that he must go to Auckland so that he could be laid
to rest amongst his Jewish people in the Jewish Cemetery in Karangahape Road, according to the
rites of their religion. Unfortunately, just as his boat was crossing the bar and the suns rays sank
below the horizon, he died. He was 71yrs. Ngawini saw to it that his last wishes to be buried with