BATES, Lieut.Col. Henry Stratton 1836–1918

Educated at Westminster School. Came to New Zealand 1854 as Lieutenant in 65th Regt., became fluent in Maori and was native interpreter to the forces—at one time A.D.C. to Governor Grey and staff interpreter to General Cameron in the Waikato wars. Returned to England at the end of 1863, was later promoted Colonel and died in his home, Langton House, Airesfird, Hants in 1918. He had no formal tuition in art, beyond that given to any army officer; but was a sketcher and was carried away by the scenery in New Zealand; painted some 40–50 watercolours whilst on his campaigns, many in the Waikato. Some have been reproduced in Cowan's The New Zealand Wars: Pioneering Period Vol. 1 pub. 1955. He is reputed to have made many of his own paints from vegetable dyes and his brushes from horse hair. In 1856 he married Haana Tama, adopted daughter of Manihera Matangi, a great favourite of the Wellington colonists and once painted by Lindauer. Her previous husband had been Lieut. Cervantes, another army interpreter. page 37 A son of the marriage, Taori Waitara, financed Te Whiti. Bates's watercolours are in the possession of his descendants but photographs of a number of them are in Turnbull.