Paraire Karaka Paikea

Paraire Karaka Paikea (1 June 1894 – 6 April 1943) was a New Zealand Māori politician.

Paraire Karaka Paikea
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Northern Maori
In office 1938 – 6 April 1943
Preceded by	Taurekareka Henare
Succeeded by	Tapihana Paraire Paikea
Personal details
Born	1 June 1894 Otamatea, Kaipara, New Zealand
Died	6 April 1943(1943-04-06) (aged 48) Wanganui, New Zealand
Children	Tapihana Paraire Paikea

Early life

Of Te Uri-o-Hau and Ngāti Whātua descent, Paraire Karaka Paikea was born in Otamatea, in the Kaipara area of Northland. An ordained Methodist Minister by 1921, he joined the Rātana movement and by 1924 was on the Rātana council. In June 1925 he was one of the original gazetted Rātana ministers.^[1]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1938–1943	26th	Northern Maori			Labour

Paikea captured the Rātana Movement's third Māori electorate of Northern Maori from Taurekareka Henare in 1938.^[2] He was Minister without portfolio representing the Māori race from 1941 to 1943 and was also Māori Recruiting Director on the War Administration Board. Known as "Piri Wiri Tua", after Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, his early death on 6 April 1943^[2] ended a promising career.

He was succeeded as MP by his son Tapihana Paraire Paikea at the 1943 election.^[2] The need for a proposed by-election to be held on 19 June 1943 was avoided by a special Act of Parliament passed on 11 June 1943 (the By-elections Postponement Act 1943) postponing the vote until the (delayed) general election was held.