Bill Herewini

Tu Tangata, Issue 24, 1 June 1985, Page 14

Bill Herewini

by Judith Martin

Poroporoaki

Wiremu “Bill Herewini Ngati Maniapoto kaumatua, Maori Battalion captain, and once one of New Zealand’s top Maori public administrators, died suddenly on March 23, aged 70.

Born in Oparure, near Te Kuiti, Bill attended Te Aute College. He worked for a short time in a Taranaki real estate office and in 1939 enlisted. He started off in the Taranaki Company of the 19th Battalion before eventually joining the Maori Battalion.

He travelled to England and Greece, and was a Prisoner of War for four years before returning to New Zealand in 1945.

Later that year he joined the public service, and a career which would see him become one of the pioneers of the welfare services division of the Maori Affairs Department.

Bill began that career as Maori rehabilitation officer for the Hamilton district. In 1947 when the government

set up the Maori Welfare division of the department, Bill was appointed Maori welfare officer in Hamilton. Four years later he was doing this work for the whole district.

In the mid-1950s he moved with his family to Wellington to become assistant controller of Maori welfare. Two years later he was controller.

In 1973 he became executive director of social services in what was then the Department of Maori and Island Affairs.

Bill Herewini was president of the Porirua RSA for 13 years until 1984, and was the second Maori ex-service-man to receive the coveted RSA gold star award.

He represented the NZRSA at a War Veterans Federation general assembly at the Hague, and also attended a reunion of the African Korps at Stuttgart.

Bill was extensively involved with community groups in Porirua, where he lived, and was known as a “peacemaker” on the local authorities on which he served.

He became a member of the Porirua District Licensing Trust in 1974, a Porirua city councillor in 1980, and deputy-mayor of Porirua in 1983.

Bill Herewini’s tangihanga was held at Takapuahia Marae, Porirua, and his funeral service in the Church of Christ the King, Cannons Creek.

The church was packed with more than 800 people, and mourners included Maori Affairs Minister Koro Wetere, the MPs for Kapiti, Porirua and Southern Maori Mrs Margaret Shields, Dr Gerry Wall and Mrs Whetu Tirakatene-Sullivan and the Dominion president of the RSA, Sir William Leuchars.

In a tribute to his longtime friend, Maori Battalion Association pastpresident Mr Ned Nathan said a very valuable ambassador for New Zealand had been lost.

“If each of us remember some of the services Bill has contributed, this country will be a better place.

“An important part of Bill’s life was reaching better understanding between Maori-pakeha, and this he has achieved,” Mr Nathan said.

“He achieved what he believed was an understanding, and whatever the problem was, be it Maori, pakehaMaori or Maori-pakeha, the achievements speak for themselves.”

“Bill had the kind of diplomacy which could handle any situation, both in this country and overseas. He was one of the most important people in our generation, simply because he could cross the river between Maori and pakeha and resolve many of the differences and hardships we have had.

“He has contributed much to the future of our country and our people,” said Mr Nathan.

Porirua Licensing trust chairman, Mr Jim Gray said Bill Herewini was a man who could temper unrealistic expectations with wisdom, and who had a great ability to take the sting out of adverse situations.

He was compassionate and objective, Mr Gray said.

Porirua’s mayor, Mr John Burke said his deputy was known throughout Porirua as “one of nature’s gentlemen”.

“He was a warm, happy and generous man. He could be firm, he could be critical, but his criticism was always expressed in gentlemanly terms, and it was always with a view to creating the positive. He was a friend to everyone.

“He had his burdens to carry, but he came through with an optimism and a gentleness that was assuring to those around him. We in Porirua are grateful that we had the benefit of his sparkle, his love and support,” said Mr Burke.

Mr Herewini’s wife, Ailsa, died in July last year. He is survived by three adult children, Moana, Keith and Ross.

KI A NGOINGOI PEWHAIRANGI NA TONA WHANAU O TE ATAARANGI

“Moe mai e te whakaruruhau a te motu I to moenga roa Haere noa atu koe Ko o mahi i mahia e koe i tenei ao Ka noho hei pohatu whakamaharatanga Ki a koe Engari Ko te mamae... ko te pouri A te iwi whanui... ka nui rawa atu Orite koe, me o mahi katoa Ki te ahi mahurehure E tahunga nei E koro ma, e kui ma Hei maramatanga mo ratou i roto i te pouri Hei mahana hoki i roto i te matao Ka tamoutia ana te mahurehure Ka pouri... ka makariri Ki te kapekapetia ana te mahurehure Ka puta mai ano Te maramatanga ... te mahana Kei roto to whanau a Te Ataarangi I enei whakamatautau e noho ana No reira e Kui Okioki mai i roto i te Atua”.

“They came this most special ope in the early hours of the morning. Came as a breeze cooled. Papatuanuku... came under a gentle moon which with the lights of the marae softened the faces that waited... Came to the waiata powhiri of Ngati Porou... came arms linked eight across, so many their numbers stretched back into the darkness... came their faces streaked with tears and exhaustion... came led not by their Rangatira, but by their own pakeke... came HER people... came the ringa wera for their poroporoaki, unable still to comprehend their loss, unable to believe it.

Oh they had all come, huge ope, from the four corners of Aotearoa, from Australia, as if Maoridom had halted for those few days, halted to pay tribute to this short dark woman, her eyes hidden behind dark glasses, who walked across a room and the mana of a people walked with her.

A humble gentle woman, whose gift lay in her acceptance of all people, whose pride lay in her own.

Aotearoa wept at this tangi, much of her will remain and in the mana of her death will gain in strength.

Some will write of her, some will seek to wear her mantle of leadership, seeing in themselves suitable candidates for the role, all will miss her, none will take her place.

We will talk of her often, her words now to become taonga, for she is in the realm of the tipuna... and her tangi. the tangi of aroha will blend into memory for that is as it should be... “Haere e Kui! Haere!”