Octavius Hadfield

Octavius Hadfield (born 6 October 1814 at Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom - died 11 December 1904 at Edale, near Marton, Manawatu, New Zealand) was Archdeacon of Kapiti, Bishop of Wellington from 1870 to 1893 and Primate of New Zealand from 1890 to 1893.

He was born into an affluent family but often had very poor health and nearly died on several occasions. He received an excellent university education but did not finish his degree due to ill health. As a member of a wealthy family he was able to tour though Europe. Normally, lack of a degree would have prevented him being ordained but he was able to secure a position in New Zealand. A member of the Church Missionary Society for thirty years, he was recognised as an authority on Māori customs and language. His views on Māori rights, expressed in several books strongly criticised the actions of the New Zealand Government. Hadfield married Catherine (Kate) Williams (24 February 1831 – 8 January 1902) a daughter of the Rev. Henry Williams and Marianne Williams.

During his early years he travelled throughout the Wellington region that had been conquered by numerous Taranaki tribes. He became close friends with the Ngati Toa warlord Te Rauparaha who had led the invasion of the wider Wellington region during the long running musket wars. It was Te Rauparaha's Christian son Tāmihana who had invited him to the Māori community to live. Hadfield buried the old cannibal in 1849 after his release from imprisonment.

He was considered conservative and evangelical in his religious beliefs and rejected Darwinianism. He was very friendly with Samuel Marsden but did not share his views on high church Anglicanism.

He became part of the Otaki Ngati Raukawa community where he made every effort to learn Māori language and customs and shared these with governor George Grey. They went to the same church. He lived in the community for 30 years, established 20 mission schools and became well integrated into the Māori community. In 1852 he published a spelling book for Māori children. Later he became increasingly intolerant and dogmatic in his views as he clashed with the government. He lived in an age when the early influence of missionaries had declined.

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