Māoridom is mourning the passing of Bill Kaua, a rangatira, who became an Anglican priest on retirement after decades as a leading public servant.
Bill had connections with Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau ā Mahaki, Ngāti Horowai, Te Aitanga-ā-Hauiti, Rongowhakaata, Ngā Tāmanuhiri, Te Aitanga-ā-Māhaki, Ruapani, Ngāti Kahungunu, and Ngāti Rakaipaaka.
He spent the first half of his career as a traffic officer in Palmerston North and Rotorua, and then went to the Department of Māori Affairs, where he was Wellington district manager when the organisation was wound up in 1989.
Bill went on to senior roles in the Ministry of Education, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.
Friend and former race relations commissioner Meng Foon says Bill made an outstanding contribution to the nation, which was acknowledged when he was made an Officer of the Order of NZ Merit in 2018 for services to Māori, education and the state.