Sir Paul's funeral to be screened live

The coffin of Sir Paul Reeves arrives at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in central Auckland for his tangi on Monday. His state funeral will be screened live on Maori Television. Photo / Dean Purcell

The state funeral of former governor general Sir Paul Reeves will be screened live tomorrow in a two-hour programme.

Sir Paul died in Auckland last weekend and his body has been lying in state at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Auckland since Monday.

The state funeral at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Parnell will be screened live from the time Sir Paul's casket arrived, said a spokesman for Maori Television.

The coverage would be mostly in English and hosted by Maori Television anchor Julian Wilcox and Archdeacon Dr Hone Kaa, an Anglican priest and long-time friend of Sir Paul.

Maori Television chief executive Jim Mather said the network was proud to celebrate the life of a great statesman and Maori leader and the country's first Maori governor-general.

Yesterday Parliament paid a warm tribute to the life and achievements of Sir Paul.

Prime Minister John Key said he was one of New Zealand's greatest statesmen and his death was of great sadness while Labour leader Phil Goff said he was "a man of decency and of strength of character" who had enormous compassion and an unwavering commitment to social justice.

- NZPA