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Apirana is Born
Apirana Ngata was born on the 3rd of July 1874 to Katerina Naki and Paratene Ngata. -
Attends school
Api statrted school at the Waiomatatini Native School -
Te Aute College
Api attends Te Aute college, where principal John Thornton influences him and his peers greatly -
The Health Reform
Ngata and his peers travel to the villages of the Ngati Porou for the Health Reform. -
BA in Political science
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Completed his LLB
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Te Aute Students' Association
Ngata soon became involved with the Te Aute College Students' Association, formed at an inaugural conference in February 1897. At this conference he was a star attraction; he read four papers and led the discussion of others. -
Horouta District Maori Council of the East Coast
Horouta District Maori Council of the East Coast with Ngata as chairman. However, some of the other councils got into difficulties, largely due to excessive enthusiasm and to inexperience in accounting. In 1902 Ngata was appointed organising inspector to try to sort out their troubles, but he resigned the position in 1904. He had decided to return home and to prepare for a larger task. -
Eastern Maori Parlimentary Seat
In 1905 Ngata contested the Eastern Maori parliamentary seat against the long-standing incumbent, Wi Pere. With solid support from Ngati Porou, Ngata won by over 750 votes. -
Waiapu Farmers
In 1912 he founded the Waiapu Farmers' Co-operative Company, which was owned and financed by Ngati Porou farmers and their incorporation -
Fighting for Land
After the war Ngata never lost an opportunity to remind Pakeha New Zealand of the debt the country owed to Maori who had served or died in the empire's foreign war. Working with Pomare, a minister in the Reform government, Ngata obtained inquiries into many long-simmering Maori land grievances, most notably the 1927 royal commission of inquiry into the confiscation of Maori lands following the war with the Pakeha in the 1860s. -
Social and Cultural
He was instrumental in the establishment of a Maori school of arts at Rotorua in 1927 and the construction of decorated meeting houses around the country. He remained prominent in the Anglican church and in 1928 helped to persuade the General Synod to create a Maori bishopric, partly to combat the rising tide of the Ratana movement. -
Knighthood
In 1927 Ngata received a knighthood, thus following in the footsteps of the only previous Maori knights, Carroll and Pomare. -
Back into Office
In December 1928 Ngata was suddenly propelled into office as native minister when the United Party surprisingly won enough seats in the general election to form a government. He was ranked third in the cabinet -
Becomes Father of the House
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Death
Apirana dies on 14 July 1950, following a brief illness.