William Fox (politician) - William Fox Junior

William Fox Junior

In 1868 at Te Ngutu O Te Manu (Beak of the bird), a battle took place between the forces of the Hah Hau rebel Titokaworu and the Colonial army commanded by Thomas McDonnell. The colonial forces were ambushed and retreated. During the retreat, two Maori scouts found 2 boys about 6. One boy was killed. The Maori scout, Pirimona, gave the other boy to Herewini of the Ngati Te Upokoiri Iwi. The captive was Ngatau Omahuru.

While in Whanganui he came to the attention of the magistrate Walter Buller, who purchased the boy a set of European clothes and boots. The boys picture was taken in these clothes. The Buller family looked after the boy.

He was baptised William Fox in the presence of William Fox senior, then an MP. The boy was taken to Wellington by coach, probably on 25 January 1869. He was housed at the Native Hostelry where visiting Maori lodged, lived there for 3 years, and was educated at a private school called Mowbray's near the hostelry. Three other Maori students - 2 of them the sons of Chief Wi Tako, attended the same school. The adopted son then moved in with the Fox family. According to Maori sources William Junior and Mrs Sarah Fox, who had no children, became very close. He lived with the family until he was about 12.

In 1874 he was enrolled in the new Wellington College where he had a photo taken with the other students and staff on Inauguration Day 1874. In 1875 The Fox family took William Junior on a world tour - San Francisco by paddle steamer, then across the USA and onto Great Britain to visit Fox relatives.

At 16 William junior joined a law firm as a clerk with Buller, Lewis and Gully, where he received about 5 years training. On a trip to the Taranaki area in 1878 he met members of his tribe and a young Maori woman Hinemoa. He met the Maori leaders; Te Whiti and Tohu at Parihaka, and made the decision to live in Taranaki. It appears he was heavily influenced by Te Whiti and Tohu and at some stage had an office in Tohu's meeting house at Parihaka. He set up a Maori school near Parihaka.

Later after the closure of Parihaka he worked as a translator and interpreter in Whanganui and then set up a business in Hawera teaching Maori language. He never married. He corresponded with old soldiers about the Taranaki Wars and died in 1918.