Veteran's granddaughter welcomes plans for Māori Battalion museum at Waitangi

Melissa Peehikuru with her father Jim Porter and a portrait of her late grandfather Major William Porter of the 28th Māori Battalion at an Anzac exhibition in Kaeo. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The granddaughter of a Major in the 28th Māori Battalion is excited about plans for a museum at Waitangi dedicated to the famous fighters – but sorry it's come too late for the veterans to see it.

Last week Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones revealed plans to build the museum at the Treaty Grounds by Waitangi Day 2020.

Among those welcoming the plan is Melissa Peehikuru, whose late grandfather William Porter, of Kaeo, enlisted by chance but quickly rose to the rank of Major in A Company. Porter's story was the focus of an Anzac-themed exhibition in Kaeo in 2016.

The planed museum would open a door to all New Zealanders to acknowledge an important part of their history, Peehikuru said.

"It's been a long time coming but I'm excited that it's happening. It would have been wonderful to share this experience with the Battalion members and have them speak first-hand but it will be a great opportunity for us as whānau, as descendants, as Māori and as New Zealanders to have a museum dedicated to the men and women who fought for our country," she said.

As well as Battalion memorabilia and medals, she hoped the museum would include an area where whānau could display personal mementos, as well as a virtual zone with videos, audio recordings and online database access – plus access to the existing Battalion website and a chance for whānau to add to Battalion whakapapa.

Any wall of honour should include the names of all servicemen and women who lost their lives, she said.

Currently living in Auckland, Peehikuru and her father, Jim Porter, hoped to be part of the opening in less than two years' time.

Consultation is underway with representatives of the battalion's five companies and final plans have yet to be drawn up.

Waitangi National Trust chief executive Greg McManus said the design would be sensitive to the landscape and history of the Treaty Grounds.

Jones said money had been set aside as part of the NZ First-Labour coalition agreement but would not say how much it was expected to cost.

Few, if any, veterans of the Battalion remain. The last surviving member of Northland's A Company, Charlie Petera, of Ngataki, died in 2016 at the age of 92. Two years earlier Moerewa's Solomon Te Whata died aged 96.

The late Sir James Henare, of Motatau in Northland, was the Battalion's last commanding officer. The MP for Tāmaki Makaurau, Peeni Henare, is one of his grandsons.