Bill Herewini by Judith Martin
Poroporoaki
Wiremu “Bill Herewini Ngati Maniapoto kaumatua, Maori Battalion captain, & 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 & in 1939 enlisted. He started off in the Taranaki Company of the 19th Battalion before eventually joining the Maori Battalion.
He travelled to England & Greece, & was a Prisoner of War for four years before returning to NZ in 1945.
Later that year he joined the public service, & 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. 4 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. 2 years later he was controller.
In 1973 he became executive director of social services in what was then the Department of Maori & 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, & 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 Councilor in 1980, & deputy-mayor of Porirua in 1983.
Bill Herewini’s tangihanga was held at Takapuahia Marae, Porirua, & his funeral service
Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 4 July 2025 - Bill Herewini
Tu Tangata, Issue 24, 1 June 1985, Page 14