OfTe 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]
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.
