Hirini Rawiri Taiwhanga ( 1832 – 27 November 1890), known as Sydney Taiwhanga, was a 19th-century Māori member of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

. Taiwhanga identified with the

Ngāpuhi Ngāpuhi (also known as Ngāpuhi-Nui-Tonu or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland regions of New Zealand centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2023 New Zealand census, the estimate ...

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

. He was born in

Kaikohe Kaikohe is the seat of the Far North District of New Zealand, situated on State Highway 12 about from Auckland, and about from Whangārei. It is the largest inland town and highest community above sea level in the Northland Region. With a pop ...

, Northland, New Zealand in about 1832; his father was Rawiri Taiwhanga. He unsuccessfully contested the

Western Maori Western Maori was one of New Zealand, New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Northern Maori, Eastern Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996 New Zealand general election, 1996, with the MMP in New Z ...

electorate in the . Of eight candidates, he came last with 5.5% of the vote. In the Western Maori , he came fourth out of five candidates. He represented the

Northern Maori Northern Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Eastern Maori, Western Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, a ...

electorate from

1887 Events January * January 11 – Louis Pasteur's anti-rabies treatment is defended in the Académie Nationale de Médecine, by Dr. Joseph Grancher. * January 20 ** The United States Senate allows the United States Navy to lease Pearl Har ...

to 1890. He was re-elected in

1890 Events January * January 1 – The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony in the Horn of Africa. * January 2 – Alice Sanger becomes the first female staffer in the White House. * January 11 – 1890 British Ultimatum: The Uni ...

for

, but died on election day, aged about 55. He had also stood in

Eastern Maori Eastern Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Northern Maori, Western Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, ...

, and came second. A by-election was held in the

electorate on 7 February 1891 to replace him.

References

1830s births 1890 deaths New Zealand MPs for Māori electorates Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Ngāpuhi people Unsuccessful candidates in the 1884 New Zealand general election 19th-century New Zealand politicians {{Māori-bio-stub