HAERE KI O KOUTOU TIPUNA HAERE KI O KOUTOU TIPUNA

MR WHAKARIRIKA TE MAIHAROA Mr Whakaririka Kiwa (Sandy) Te Maiharoa died at Glenavy, South Canterbury, on Wednesday, May 28th. Aged 66, he is survived by his wife and a grown-up family. He was a rangatira of Ngaitahu and a grandson of the Ngaitahu prophet, Te Maiharoa. Mr Te Maiharoa was a highly respected leader of his people, a farmer and Justice of the Peace. He was well-known on many maraes in both the North and South Islands.

MR UTIKU POTAKA A noted Maori wartime airman, Mr Utiku Albert Potaka, was killed in a motor accident on the night of Friday, June 6. Mr Potaka, a farmer aged 40 years, came from Ohingaiti. The heavy truck he was driving collided with the side of a concrete bridge on the Rongotea-Longburn highway, Manawatu. He died on the way to the Palmerston North Hospital. Mr Potaka served in the R.N.Z.A.F. from 1942 to 1952. He was awarded the Queen's Commendation for services in the air. He served two tours of operations in the European and Middle East theatres of war.

MRS MEI PERI The death occurred recently of Mrs Mei Peri at her home in Wairewa Pa, Little River. Her death was a loss to the Ngaitahu people, as she was one of the few remaining elders of the tribe. She was a very well known lady and had been associated with a large number of activities for the benefit of all whom she was able to assist. Mrs Peri was a custodian of genealogy and had a great command of both English and Maori languages. She was a rangatira of her tribe and in her own right.

MRS TAIHAPE UNAHI Mrs Taihape Te Hurahanga Pani Unahi passed away recently at Maxwell at the reputed age of 108 years. She used to tell many stories of the Maori wars and was a greatly respected figure at Maxwell.

Mr ORIWA TAHUPOTIKI HADDON Mr Oriwa Tahupotiki Haddon passed away in Taihape last June after a car accident. Born 64 years ago in Taranaki he was the son of a well-known Methodist clergyman, the Rev. Tahupotiki Haddon, and a direct descendant of the chief Titokowaru who opposed British settlement in that district. As a young man he was ordained a minister of the Methodist Church, but subsequently became a qualified pharmaceutical chemist. When a young man he was invited to the United States to join the Chautauqua circuit and remained in that country for some years. On his return to New Zealand Mr Haddon became closely identified with the Ratana movement, and for some time was secretary to his relative, the late Mr W. T. Ratana, who established the sect. Mr Haddon also became one of the best known broadcasters in the country, speaking on Maori history, mythology and poetry. Being a brilliant marae speaker, he was subsequently appointed secretary and organiser for the Maori branch of the Labour Party and participated in several elections. On retiring from the political field, he settled for some years in the Nelson district, where he turned his gifts as an artist to good stead by painting murals in different hotels. Though his preference was for Polynesian subjects, he also depicted the early history of Nelson on the walls of hotels in that area. Of late, however, he had resided at Taihape.

Mrs RAUKURA TE MANA The Death occurred in Aramoho last July of Mrs Raukura Te Mana, aged 86, who had endeared herself to many Pakeha people, and had numerous friends in Aramoho. When the news of Mrs Te Mana's death spread, her tribes began to converge on the old Pa site Aramoho, called Te Ao Hou whare, where she lay in state. They came from as far as Maniapoto and Taranaki. Two grandsons came from Auckland to attend the funeral. Before the church service on 30 July, three Maori elders delivered orations. They were Mr Wiremu Tauri (Putiki). Mr Tahu Aperahama (Aramoho) and Kereama Te Ugako (Tokorangi). The Rev. Canon H. Taepa officiated at the service at the Aramoho Cemetery.