Mr Graham Latimer

Te Ao Hou, March 1966, Page 63

Mr Graham Latimer The death occurred last November of Mr Graham Latimer Snr. He was aged 65. Mr Latimer was a leader of the Ngati Kahu tribe, and was also a member of the Aupouri and Te Rarawa tribes. Born at Pamapuria, Mr Latimer was educated at Kaitaia and Te Aute College. He joined the army in 1917 and after returning home worked for a time on the gumfields. In 1921 he married Miss Lilian Kenworthy of Houhora, and took up farming in the Pamapuria district. When World War II broke out Mr Latimer again enlisted and rose to the rank of captain in the army, becoming a recruiting and welfare officer in Northland. After the war he moved to Auckland and in 1950 started work on the wharves. He was a member of the Waterside Workers' Union from its inception and was an executive member for a number of years. At the time of his death he was a committee member of the Watersiders' Benefit Society and secretary-treasurer of the Waterfront Rugby League team. He was best known for his welfare work among the Maori waterside workers and put a great deal of time and effort into his work in this direction. While in Northland Mr Latimer was prominent as a sportsman and sporting administrator in both rugby and tennis. For many years he was a member of the North Auckland Rugby Union Maori Advisory Board. He is survived by his wife, one sister (Mrs Annie Taylor, of Mt Roskill), four sons, Graham Jnr. (Tinopai). Frank (Te Puke), Joe and Lloyd (Auckland) and two daughters, May (Mrs Tataha, of Glen Innes) and Julia (Mrs Kake, of Te Atatu).