William Gordon Roberton

Maketu, also known as Maketu Wharetotara, the son of Nga Puhi chief Ruhe, was born in the hinterland of the Bay of Islands. In 1841, when he was about 16 years of age, he was employed to do farm work on Motuarohia, in the Bay of Islands. His employer was Elizabeth Roberton, a widow. Her household comprised her eight-year-old son, Gordon; her two-year-old daughter; a servant, Thomas Bull; and Isabella Brind, the grand-daughter of Nga Puhi leader Rewa. Isabella's parents were William Darby Brind, a whaling captain, and Moewaka, Rewa's daughter.

For some time Thomas Bull had been mistreating Maketu, and kicked him during a dispute about payment. Two days later, on 20 November 1841, Maketu killed Bull by splitting his head with an axe as he slept. He then killed Elizabeth Roberton and later explained that she had sworn at him. Clearly he had felt sufficient provocation to strike them down. They had offended his mana. He also killed the two girls, pursued the boy across the island and threw him over a cliff. Maketu provided no explanation for the killing of the children.

Source: Steven Oliver. 'Maketu, Wiremu Kingi', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1990. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1m5/maketu-wiremu-kingi (accessed 9 September 2019)