The Harriet Affair of 1834 saw the first ever action by British troops on New Zealand soil, and a level of violence later condemned by a British House of Commons Inquiry. The ships 'Alligator' and 'Isabella', with a detachment of 60 men from the 50th Regiment, had been rushed to Taranaki by the New South Wales authorities. Their task was to rescue survivors of the wrecked ship 'Harriet', who were being held hostage by Māori of Ngāti Ruanui.

As nzhistory.net notes, Ngāti Ruanui assumed that the Europeans arriving on 21 September had come to negotiate the release of the captives and that, as was customary, they could expect something in exchange. Instead, their leading chief Oaoiti was bayoneted and captured. Four days later, on 25 September, the hostages were found at Te Namu pā, which was attacked and burnt. Then, on October 8, the nearby pā of Waimate was bombarded for three hours before a strong force with a six-pounder gun landed. One hostage was grabbed from an elderly chief, who was then summarily shot.

Afterwards, on 25 October 1834, Captain Robert Lambert of the 'Alligator' wrote these letters to the British Resident James Busby. Lambert suggesting a warning be distributed to Māori, similar to the one he had already sent to the 'principal tribes to the Southward through the medium of the British Residents there.' The warning noted that 'two Chiefs of War, belonging to King William the Fourth, having arrived on this Coast, in consequence of the horrid Murder of part of the Crew of the 'Harriett', the remaining part having been made slaves… - and to require the said people to be given up, which has been effected, after a most severe punishment inflicted on the said Tribes, by burning their Pa's - their Property - and Killing and wounding many of them; - and, at the same time, to point out to the other Tribes, that, however much the King of England wishes to cultivate friendship with the New Zealanders, the indignation he will feel at a repetition of such Cruelty to His subjects, and how severely, he will punish the offenders."

More information on the Harriet Affair can be found here: www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/maori-european-contact-pre-1... For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter twitter.com/ArchivesNZ