Mr J. M. McEwen, New Secretary for Maori Affairs Mr J. M. McEwen has recently been appointed Secretary for Maori Affairs and Maori Trustee. He succeeds Mr J. K. Hunn who some months ago was appointed Secretary for Defence. Mr McEwen is widely known among the Maori people. As a child he had many Maori friends, and from this time he has had very close ties with the Maori people. He is a foundation member of the Ngati-Poneke Association, and has been closely associated with its development. Over the years he has taken part in a great many Maori activities, and is the president of the newly-founded Mawaihakona Maori Club in the Upper Hutt. His wife, who also has a great interest in Maori matters, is president of the Wellington district council of the Maori Women's Welfare League, and also of the Awa-Kairangi Branch of the League.

Wide Knowledge of Maoritanga His love of Maori culture dates from his early childhood. He speaks Maori fluently, and is an expert carver. Many people have said that there must be few Maoris today who have as wide a knowledge of Maoritanga as Mr McEwen. When the standard Maori dictionary was revised a few years ago, Mr McEwen was secretary of the committee responsible for this. For some years he has been president of the Polynesian Society. He joined the Maori Affairs Department in 1935 after having worked for a private law firm in Palmerston North, and from 1941 to 1944 he served in the Army. In 1946 he gained his LL.B. at Victoria University. He returned to the Maori Affairs Department, and was appointed research officer in 1948. He became assistant controller of the trusts, titles and claims division in 1950. In 1953 Mr McEwen was appointed Resident Commissioner in Niue Island and in 1956 he became assistant secretary for Island Territories. In 1958 he was appointed Secretary for Island Territories. He Mr J. M. McEwen. speaks Rarotongan and the language of Niue, and has as well some knowledge of Samoan. He has a deep interest in all things Polynesian, both past and present. At 48, he is one of the youngest men ever to be appointed Secretary for Maori Affairs.

HERE IS A MESSAGE FROM MR McEWEN E nga iwi, e nga hapu, e nga reo, e nga huihuinga tangata, e noho mai na i runga i nga marae a o tatou tupuna matua, i te Ika-a-Maui me te Waipounamu whiti atu ki te Wharekauri, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou. Tena koutou me o tatou tini aitua e hinga atu nei e hinga mai na i runga i o tatou marae maha, kua whetu-rangitia ratou no reira e nga mate haere, haere, haere. E aku rangatira tena koutou. Pupu ake ana te aroha, te hari me te koa i te puna o te ngakau no te mea kua whakawhiwhia ahau ki te taonga nei a i whai huarahi ai ahau ki te hoki mai ano ki waenganui i a koutou otira me penei ake kua hoki mai ano ahau ki te Ukaipo.