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Te Ao Hou, March 1964, Page 36

? Mr Tonga Awhikau, of Normanby, Taranaki, received many congratulatory messages recently when he celebrated his 100th birthday. Mr Awhikau, who was once Chairman of the West Coast Lands Committee, fought hard in earlier days for the betterment of his people. He lives with his granddaughter and her husband, Mr and Mrs M. Tapara, at Normanby. Although he has lost one eye, he still reads the newspaper with keen interest. ? Mrs Martha Hirini, the Dominion President of the Maori Women's Welfare League, has been awarded the M.B.E. in this year's New Year Honours. Mrs Hirini, who has been a member of the League since its inception 11 years ago, has given it long and faithful service in a number of capacities; before elected Dominion president three years ago she was president of the Heretaunga District Council of the League, and also president of the Hastings branch. Her present position involves a great deal of travelling about the country visiting branches of the League, and this, her fourth and final year as Dominion president, will be taken up with visiting areas she has not been to previously, as well as covering as much familiar ground as she can to say her goodbyes. Apart from her work with the League, Mrs Hirini has worked on the committees of the Save the Children Fund and the National Council of Women. She is to represent the Council at the Pan-Pacific conference to be held at Tonga in August. In spite of all these activities, Mrs Hirini still finds time to spend with her large family, which includes several grandchildren and three great-grand-children.