HAERE KI O KOUTOU TIPUNA HAERE KI O KOUTOU TIPUNA

GEORGE F. BERTRAND The death occurred at Palmerston of Mr George F. Bertrand, aged 66. Born at Urenui, Taranaki, he was a member of the Ngati Mutunga tribe. Mr Bertrand was educated at Te Aute College and Wellington Teacher's Training College. He taught at the New Plymouth Boys' High School between the two World Wars and again after World War II. Mr Bertrand served overseas in both wars and at the outbreak of the Second World War he was appointed second in command of the Maori Battalion with the rank of Major and served in the desert, Greece and Crete. He was later recalled to New Zealand to take command of the second battalion as Lieutenant Colonel. He was also in charge of the Maori Training Unit from 1942–1944. Mr Bertrand was awarded the O.B.E. and also held the Efficiency Decoration. He was a member of the Ngarimu Scholarship Fund Board.

RORE RUTENE Mr Rore Rutene of Waitahanui passed away last November at the age of 85. He had a wide knowledge of ancient Maori tradition, customs, culture and language. He represented the Roman Catholic Maori community at Taupo during the visit of the apostolic delegate H. E. Carboni.

KAWA TE HUIA Mr Kawa Te Huia of Marton died recently at 97 years of age, leaving behind eighty grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. Mr Te Huia came from Waikato and lived in the Taupo district for most of his life.

HORI HEKE Mr Hori Heke, of Rawhiti, Bay of Islands, died suddenly during a meeting of the Maori Community Centre at Auckland recently. He was aged 58. The son of the late Mr Turei Heke, well-known as an orator and scion of Rewa, Mr Hore Heke was a registered minister of the Ratana Church.

PAPA KORAKA POTAKA Mr Papa Koraka Potaka, aged 21, a former head prefect of the Wanganui Technical College and a leader among the young Maoris at Putiki, died at Auckland recently. He had been married only a few weeks at the time of his death. His passing has been described as a great loss to the Maori community. He was secretary of the Putiki Maori Club for two years, secretary of the Putiki Church Committee for two years, a member of the church choir for five years, and the leader of the Putiki Young Anglicans for three years.

DAVID PROSSER Mr David Prosser, J.P., passed away in Porirua recently. Born at Pukerua Bay, he attended Wellington College and for a time was a pupil at the St Patrick's College, Kent Terrace. Descended from leading chiefs of Ngati Toa and Ngati Raukawa, Mr Prosser was for many years an active worker for Maori causes. He was chairman of the Wellington District Tribal executive, a member of the Maori Housing Priority Committee, the Otaki-Porirua Trust Board, vice-president of the Otaki Maori Racing Club and chairman of the Wellington Maori Rugby Management Committee. Mr Prosser was also an official visitor at the Porirua Mental Hospital.

VICTORIA MARAEA POTIKI The death occurred recently at Dunedin of Mrs Victoria Maraea Potiki. Mrs Potiki was the elder daughter of the late Mr Hohepa Karetai whose grandfather, John Karetai, was one of the signatories of the Treaty of Waitangi. She was president of the Otepoti Branch of the Maori Women's Welfare League since its inception.

NEPIA WINIATA Mr Nepia Winiata passed away suddenly in Levin in February 1958. He was 66 years of age. He was born in Levin, and was educated at Rangiotu (Oroua Bridge), Levin and Te Aute College. In 1914 he joined the Department of Maori Affairs where he was a Judge's associate until 1918 when he took up dairy farming. He was a rugby representative for Horowhenua and Manawhenua, and played in the North Island Country team and for the Kuku club. From 1926 to 1949 he was secretary of the Otaki Maori Racing Club; in 1949 he was elected president which he remained for the rest of his life. He was a member of the Wellington District Committee for nine and of the N.Z. Racing Conference for two years.