Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Maning, Frederick Edward
MANING, FREDERICK EDWARD (1812–1883), the Pākĕhā Maori, born 5 July 1813, was son of Frederick Maning of Johnville, co. Dublin, and grandson of Archibald Maning, a wealthy Dublin citizen. His father emigrated in 1824 to Van Diemen's Land. In 1833, attracted by love of adventure, Maning went off on a small trading schooner to New Zealand, which was not a British colony until 1841, and was then hardly open even to traders, though he found one or two other white men before him. His great stature, strength, and audacity, combined with good humour and vivacity, won the hearts of the Maoris, who soon installed him as a Pākĕhā Maori, i.e. to all intents a naturalised stranger. He acquired land of the Ngapuhi tribe at Hokianga, and settled at Onaki, where he won the entire confidence of the natives. He married a Maori wife and adopted to a great extent the customs of the tribe, seeking, however, to set an example of greater humanity. He was thus enabled to render considerable services to both sides in the wars of 1845 and 1861.
On 15 Nov. 1866, when the native lands court was established for settling questions regarding the title of lands as between Maoris under their own customs and traditions, Maning was appointed one of the judges, and took a prominent part in the proceedings of the court. Many of his judgments give a graphic account of the customs of the Maoris.
In 1881 he was compelled by painful disease to relinquish his judicial duties, and returned to Great Britain in the hope of a cure, but died in London 25 July 1883. His body was by his own desire taken out to New Zealand for burial. His bust stands over the door of the Institute Library at Auckland.
Maning was the author of:
- 'Old New Zealand,' the best extant record of Maori life, 2nd edit. 1863.
- 'The History of the War in the North with Heke in 1845.' Both were republished in 1876. with a preface by the Earl of Pembroke.
[Mannell's Dict. ot Austral. Biog.; Rusden's New Zealand, s.v. ‘Maning;’ Auckland Woeklj Hews, 4 Aug. 1883.]