Two Maori Women Honoured by Queen

Te Ao Hou, March 1965, Page 35

Two Maori Women Honoured by Queen two maori women with most notable records of service to the Maori people were made Members of the British Empire in this year's New Year Honours. Miss M. M. Kewene Miss Mabel Mahinarangi Kewene, M.B.E., was born at Mangere, Auckland. Her family comes originally from the Waikato, and she is a great grand-daughter of Kewene Te Haho of Kawhia. Miss Kewene trained at Green Lane Hospital in Auckland for her nursing certificate, and later at Gisborne and Invercargill for her maternity and midwifery certificates. In 1949 she was appointed to the Te Puia Hospital, north of Gisborne, and since 1959 has been matron there; the East Coast, she says, ‘is almost a second home to me now.’ Miss Te K. Riwai Miss Te Kiato Riwai, M.B.E., who is a Chatham Islander by birth, was educated at Te Wai Pounamu College in Christchurch. After completing her nursing training she spent the last two years of World War II nursing in Italy and England, and was awarded the British Empire Medal for her military nursing services during this period. Always interested in Maori welfare work, she 12 years ago joined the Maori Affairs Department, and is a senior welfare officer working in a huge area that extends from Motueka in the north to Southland and the Chathams in the south.