from the early 18th century  the Ngāti Pāoa people edged their way into the Hauraki Gulf and as far north as Mahurangi.
between 1740 and 1750 the  Ngāti  whātua-o-kaipara moved south and killed the chief of Wai-o-Hua and took domination of the isthmus by marrying Ngā Oho who was a relative of Wai-o-Hua
at the peak of prosperity in 1750 the population numbers  tens of thousands due to building of pā and  2000 hectors of Kumra garden.  
In 1821 the Ngā puhi leader Hongi Hika launched a series of attacks on Tāmaki with 2,000 men and 1,000 muskets he stormed 2 Ngāti  Paoa pā killing hundreds and enslaving hundreds more 
In 1825  Ngā Puhi attacked again the target was Ngāti whātua, the battle was fought near kaiwaka, and although Ngāti whātua had 1000 men the  500-strong invading force armed with muskets and crused Ngāti whā tua.
in conclusion although the the tribes moving and relocating  was growing the population the battles were decreasing the population