Autini Pitara Kaipara Poverty Bay Captain, North Island & NZ Maori Rugby Player Autini Kaipara was one of New Zealand rugby's most outstanding second five-eighths of the decade leading up to World War One. The son of Takawhata Pitara Kaipara and the husband of Hina Katerina Kaipara, he became a second lieutenant in the Maori (Pioneer) Battalion. He was killed in action at the age of 30 on August 4, 1917. Autini Kaipara represented Poverty Bay from 1906 until 1913. Captain of the side from 1910, he led two Ranfurly Shield challenges against Auckland as well as playing for the North Island in 1910, 1911 and 1912. He represented New Zealand Maori in 1910 and 1911, was a member of the North Island Country team that toured the South Island in 1912 and also played for the North Island B team in 1914. Autini Kaipara's status was such that he was described by the media of the time as the "india rubber man" and was still being written about decades after his death. In 1953 a correspondent wrote in "Te Ao Hou": "... As a young fellow in Gisborne I have happy recollections of seeing outstanding Maori footballers in Poverty Bay. One such man was A. P. Kaipara - in the opinion of S. S. Dean, noted rugby administrator - one of the greatest five-eighths New Zealand has produced." Autini Kaipara was a law clerk and was also registered as an interpreter under the Native Land Act. He lived in Gisborne where, in the years immediately prior to the War, he played for the Young Maori Party Club, a club that still exists today. With thanks to Bob Luxford and the New Zealand Rugby Museum, Palmerston North http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GScid=&GRid=12616014&
In Memory of Second Lieutenant AUTINI PITARA KAIPARA 16/10, New Zealand Pioneer Battalion who died age 30 on 04 August 1917 Son of Takawhata Pitara Kaipara; husband of Hina Katerina Kaipara. Remembered with honour PROWSE POINT MILITARY CEMETERY
Lieutenant Autiri Pitara Kaipara was, for some years, Poverty Bay's star inside back. He and Wi Friday made a pair whose trickiness was always a treat to watch. His brilliant play against Auckland in 1909 led the New Zealand Herald critic to remark: “Kaipara delighted the crowd with his bumping, reminding them of Davie Gage.” Whilst he was in Australia with Parata's Maori team in 1910 the Sydney Bulletin described him as being “as sharp as a needle and as slippery as an cel.” In 1913 an Auckland critic referred to him as “The Wizard.” When war broke out in 1914 he at once volunteered. Invalided home from Gallipoli, he spent a few months with his parents at Rotorua, and then rejoined the 1st Maoris, who were then in France, and was posted to “D” Company of the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion. During the wiring of the posts in front of La Basseville on 3 August, 1917, he was killed by a piece of shell whilst assisting to carry Te Tuhi (his wounded batman) into a sap. http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/8000.detail
