AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

MAYOR’S OFFICE

AUCKLAND CITY

19 September 2006

Mayor remembers a man of grace, dignity and humility

Mayor of Auckland City, Dick Hubbard is deeply saddened by the news that Sir Hugh Kawharu, Chair of the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board has passed away at his home in Auckland after a brief illness.

“Sir Hugh was a man amongst men,” Mayor Hubbard said, “A scholar, a leader, a gentleman and a man of the people. No one could meet Sir Hugh and not be struck by his quiet dignity and genuine humility.”

Sir Hugh has an outstanding record of service in Auckland as an academic and as a leader of Maori and Pakeha people alike.

He has been Chairman of the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board for 26 years, and of the Orakei Reserves Board since its establishment in 1992.

He was the driving force behind getting the Ngati Whatua treaty claim to the first stage of settlement and was there with his whanau in Parliament several months ago when the Agreement in Principle was signed.

In 2002 Sir Hugh was made a member of the Order of New Zealand and last year he was given Auckland City’s highest accolade, a Distinguished Citizen Award.

“The people of Auckland will miss Sir Hugh dearly. He has been such an integral part of our city for decades, as a senior kaumatua of Ngati Whatua and as an outstanding academic at the University of Auckland.”

"Sir Hugh engendered respect because he himself was a beacon of respect for the dignity of others no matter their circumstances. That is the kind of citizenship I want to champion – the kind that crosses culture, race and even time to achieve for the common good."

ENDS

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