George Clarke (New Zealand pioneer)

George Clarke (29 June 1823 – 10 March 1913) was an Australian-born New Zealand pioneer and educationist.

George Clarke was born in Parramatta, New South Wales, the son of the Revd George Clarke, an early missionary to New Zealand with the Church Missionary Society. Clarke senior who came from Norfolk and arrived at Hobart, Van Diemen's Land in September 1822. Clarke senior then went to Sydney, and while waiting for a ship to New Zealand, took charge of an establishment of Aborigines near Parramatta.

The family went on to New Zealand in 1824 and settled at Bay of Islands. His father worked at the Waimate mission, teaching the Māori students.

In 1832 George Clarke the younger was sent to Hobart and went to R. W. Giblin's school. Returning to New Zealand early in 1837 the boy studied with the Rev. William Williams, afterwards Bishop of Waiapu. In 1839 he went with Williams to Poverty Bay, still continuing his studies, and there obtained an excellent knowledge of the Māori language, and of the mentality of the Maoris; an invaluable experience that he found of great use a year or two later.

In 1840 Clarke's father was made protector of aborigines by the recently appointed lieutenant-governor, Captain Hobson. The seat of government was transferred to Auckland, and there the elder Clarke bought a large block of land from the Maoris for the government. In January 1841 his son was appointed a clerk in the native department of the civil service of New Zealand. In February 1842 he was translator at the trial of Wiremu Kingi Maketu, who was the first Māori condemned to death for murder. Clarke had already formed the ambition of becoming a clergyman, but for five years he remained in the government employ, first as an interpreter, then as a Maori advocate and protector, and eventually as a negotiator with the Māori . In all these capacities he did most valuable work.

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