MAN AT THE HELM

Tu Tangata, Issue 4, 1 February 1982, Page 36

MAN AT THE HELM

The New Zealand Maori Council has confirmed the appointment by State Services Commission of Neil Apanui Watene to the Secretariat of the council a fitting climax to his 14 years voluntary service as Chief of Administration. Apa joined the council in 1967 a fledgling delegate from Wellington District Maori Council. In 1971 he became its Chairman, a position he has retained to the present, 1974-79 were years when the council was under great financial stress without the resources even to pay a secretary, Apa and the Wellington co-delegates formed the administration committee to take charge of the business of the council in a purely voluntary role, during the whole of that period. In 1973 Apa was awarded a Winston Churchill fellowship to the U.S.A. ‘‘to undertake studies of employment after work activities with organisations employing large numbers of ethnic minor-

ity groups”. In 1974 he became a justice of the peace and in 1975 he was awarded the M.B.E. During 1979 he was Employment Consultant to the Department of Maori Affairs. Apa has been associated with Gear Meat Company since he commenced working there in 1957. In 1964 he was appointed to the permanent staff as Industrial Welfare Officer and he has been in turn Education Officer, Training Officer, and since 1979 Personnel Manager, a position he held until the final closure of the works. Apa and his wife Janey have three children and are both prominent in the activities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and understanding to the position of secretary of the council. Kia kaha ki a koe e Apa. Ma te atua koe e manaaki e tiaki i roto i nga ra kei te haere mai.