Octavius Hadfield (6 October 1814 – 11 December 1904) was Archdeacon of Kāpiti, Bishop of Wellington from 1870 to 1893 and Primate of New Zealand from 1890 to 1893.

His views on Māori rights, expressed in several books strongly criticised the actions of the New Zealand Government.

Pelorus, travelling with Bishop Broughton, who was making a pastoral visit to the native church established by the CMS among the Māori.

[9] Bishop Selwyn appointed him rural dean of the Western District of Wellington and Taranaki in 1844 and as archdeacon of Kapiti in March 1849.

He became close friends with the Ngāti Toa leader Te Rauparaha who had led the invasion of the wider Wellington region during the long running Musket Wars.

[10] He became part of the Ōtaki Ngāti Raukawa community where he made every effort to learn Māori language and customs and shared these with governor George Grey.

Hadfield became far less popular when in 1860 he upheld Wiremu Kīngi Te Rangitāke's claim to the Waitara block.

[12] The surveying of this land prior to military occupation precipitated the First Taranaki War, and Hadfield became a leading critic of the Government in these actions.