Is this any help it shows a inscriptuon inside the church ref Mc Donald family

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/pukekohe-nz-wars-memorial

Papers Past is a good source of information. It has digitised New Zealand newspapers from 1839-1945. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast
It has newspaper accounts from the time of the attack.

A quick search revealed the following obituaries/death notices which may be of interest

MCDONALD.— October 15, at his residence, Pukekohe East, Alexander McDonald, aged 68
New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8403, 3 November 1890, Page 12

HISTORIC FIGHT.
AT PUKEKOHE EAST. DEATH OF A VETERAN. MR JAMES McDONALD. The. death at Takapuna on October 3, of Mr. James McDonald, removes one of the band who under Major Lusk took part in the defence of the church at Pukekohe East in 1803, and held it successfully until relieved by a. detachment or' Imperial troops. Mr. McDonald, who had reached his eightieth year, was a lad of 14 when he was engaged in that historic fight, when a band of 350 Maoris came fiom the Waikato to attack the settlement. Major Lusk had then organised a corps of settlers called the Forest Rifle Volunteers, who did good service during the war. A stockade had been formed around the church at Pukekohe East, and upon the approach of the Maori warriors Major Lusk, then a captain, with 00 men held that post until the arrival of the regular troops. The first shot was fired at 9.30 a.m. by a sentry, which drew a prompt volley from tiic attackers, who up to then had been hidden in'the bush. Mr. McDonald used to say that ammunition that was badly wanted later was in the earlier stages, expended recklessly. The Maoris crept to the attack taking cover behind the stumps of trees that had been felled.! Several of them .were shot down by the defenders. It was a fortunate thing for the plucky garrison that the Maoris did not respond to the call of a young native to rush the church. McDonald was kept busy opening boxes of ammunition .in the church and carrying it out to the men. It was not until noon that the detachment of regular troops arrived on the scene Not one of the defenders was wounded as they were under cover, but it was estimated that fully forty of the attackers lost their lives. Born at Tamaki in 1849 the late Mr McDonald who was the second son of the late Mr and Mrs Alexander McDonald, early colonists, settled at Pukekohe East with his parents. Mr McDonald nearly lost his life at the commencement of the attack on the church. In the afternoon he was about to set out for Drury with a horse and dray to bring supplies and ammunition for the settlers in anticipation of a Maori attack. He was conveying the cart saddle to the horse. when the first shot was fired, the horse dropping dead. Young McDonald had a narrow escape. The attacks of the hostile tribes compelled the McDonalds to move from the district temporarily. When the warfare had ceased they returned, and Mr. McDonald followed up farming there until about 30 years ago. He removed to Hamilton and then to Ngarua. In 1914 he settled at Takapuna. Although 80 years of age he was an active man. Last year he was present at the jubilee celebrations held at the pukekohe East Church. His death followed an operation at Auckland Hospital. He is survived by Mrs. McDonald, and one daughter, Miss Grace McDonald. The surviving members of Mr McDonald's family are Mrs. Matthew Routly. Harrington Avenue, Pukekohe, and Mr. Alexander McDonald, of Epsom.
Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 236, 5 October 1929, Page 10

MRS. M. ROUTLY. The death has occurred of Mrs. Margaret Routly, wife of Mr. Matthew Routly, of Harrington Avenue, Pukekohe, at the age of 78 years. She was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Alexander McDonald, early colonists of New Zealand, who settled at Pukekohe East in 1860. The McDonald family was resident in the district at the time of the attack on the historic little, church at Pukekohe East. Mrs. Routly's father and her brother, Mr. James McDonald, who died last October, had been to their holding on the morning of the attack and the latter was about to set out for Drury to bring supplies and ammunition when the first shots were fired by the hostile Maoris. The family was compelled to leave the district temporarily. Mrs. Routly was married 30 years ago, and had lived in Pukekohe ever since. She is survived by her husband and one brother, Mr. Alexander McDonald, of Epsom.
Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 157, 5 July 1930, Page 12

Also from Papers Past

After a somewhat protracted illness of several months Mr. McDonald, of Pukekohe Valley, died at an early hour on the morning of October 14. He leaves a wife and two unmarried sons and a daughter. Mr. McDonald was born in 1822, and came out to this colony when quite a young man, landing in Wellington as early as 1841. During the native war in 1863, Mr. McDonald was one of the twenty-seven settlers, who, living in the church, turned into a stockade, were one morning attacked by a large body of Maoris, a detachment of soldiers coming to the relief of the settlers, the latter escaping without any loss, although bullets from the guns of the natives were fired thick and fast, the church being riddled. Although for a long period Mr. McDonald took a deep interest in public affairs, of late, owing to failing health, he has pursued a very quiet life.
OBITUARY. New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8403, 3 November 1890, Page 9