HAERE KI O KOUTOU TIPUNA

Mrs W. T. Ngata Mrs Nancy Maraea (Peach) Ngata, wife of Mr William T. (Bill) Ngata, private secretary to the Minister of Maori Affairs, died last November, after a long illness, at the Home of Compassion, Island Bay. Mrs Ngata had a distinguished career as a stenographer to successive Ministers of Maori Affairs, including the late Mr Peter Fraser. She was also secretary to Mr J. K. Hunn when he was Secretary for Maori Affairs. Mrs Ngata was a member of a prominent family of the Ngati Raukawa tribe of Otaki. She was the eldest daughter of the late Tiemi and Bridget Rikihana. Her first husband, Mr Ehae John (Ben) Ropata was killed at El Alamein in the Second World War while serving with the Maori Battalion. Most of Mrs Ngata's interests concerned Maori welfare, for which she had a deep concern. As a pianist she was much in demand for various Maori social functions. She was a member of the N.Z. Art Gallery Society and a former Wellington executive member of the Consumer Council. A large number of Mr and Mrs Ngata's friends and relatives from Wellington, Otaki, Levin, Gisborne, Rotorua and Bay of Plenty districts attended the funeral. Mr Ngata is a son of the late Sir Apirana Ngata. Mrs Ngata is survived by her husband, a son, two sisters, a brother and a niece, who formerly lived with her.

Mr Robert Tangiono Tapa Mr Robert (Bob) Tangiono Tapa, of Ranana, prominent leader of the Maori people in the Wanganui River district, died at Wellington last December. He was aged 65. Born in Wanganui, he spent most of his youth in Rata and Parikino. After serving in France and Gallipoli with the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion during the first world war, Mr Tapa settled in Ranana. For a time, he worked on Morikau Station under the late Mr Gregor McGregor. Later he bought land of his own which he farmed until his death. In 1929 he acted as foreman of the Ranana development scheme and later, when Morikau was incorporated, he became a foundation member of the committee of management. He also served as vice-chairman and chairman of the advisory committee of Ohorea Station on the Parapara Road, and was a member of both committees at the time of his death. An executive member of the Wanganui River Settlers' Association, Mr Tapa was very active in all tribal affairs. He was a life-long supporter of the Roman Catholic Mission in the Wanganui River area. Mr Tapa was related to every hapu from Taumarunui to Wanganui.

Mr W. U. T. Wakarua Mr William Uru Teangina Wakarua, secretary of the Taranaki Maori Trust Board, died on 25 October at Hawera. He was aged 57. Mr Wakarua had been secretary of the Trust at Hawera since it was founded in 1932. Born at Nukumaru, Mr Wakarua studied at Te Aute College and later gained the diploma of agriculture at Hawkesbury College, in New South Wales. He married Miss Queenie O'Connor and settled at Hawera. Mr Wakarua was a keen member of Rotary International and a former secretary of the Hawera Club. He is survived by his daughter, Mrs Sullivan, of Hawera.

Mr Teone Wiwi Taiaroa On 29th December, the Ngaitahu people lost one of their best known personalities, when Mr T. W. (Wiwi) Taiaroa died at Otakou on the Otago Peninsula. He was aged 62. Mr Taiaroa, who was born at Otakou, was a son of the late George Taiaroa and his wife Margaret (nee Parata) and a grandson of the Hon. H. K. Taiaroa and the Hon. Tame Parata, both South Island Maori Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Council. Apart from some years spent in Canterbury, Mr Taiaroa spent most of his life on the Peninsula as a commercial fisherman and a sheepfarmer. One of the founders and directors of Otakou Fisheries, Ltd., and for a time the Chairman of its Board of Directors, he fished for a number of years around the Otago and Southland coasts. In addition he managed the family property, Akapatiki ‘A’ Block, Incorporated. Mr Taiaroa took an active interest in community affairs, being for many years a member of the Otakou Maori Committee, and in addition representing the Otago Heads Riding on the