Obituary: John Male

By DINAH HOLMAN

Poet and peace activist. Died aged 90.

John Gifford Male, one of New Zealand's major war poets and a peace activist, was one of the pioneers of the United Nations advisory services in the field of human rights.

Born into a farming family in Waingaro in the Raglan area in 1913, Male began his career as a journalist in the 1930s, working first for the Taumarunui News, then the North Auckland Times, Observer and Radio Record (precursor of the Listener).

During those years he began having his poetry published and he met the poet A.R.D. Fairburn, who was also working for the Observer. The two continued as close friends until Fairburn's death in 1957.

In 1933, Male married Mabel Walton and they had a son and a daughter. Male was conscripted into the Army at the beginning of World War II as a gunner, but was soon shifted to Field Intelligence. He fought with the Second NZEF in North Africa and in Italy.

He sent home pieces about the war which were published in New Zealand New Writing but it was not until 1989 that Male published a collection of his poetry, Poems from a War.

With the inclusion of some poems in the Oxford Anthology of New Zealand Poetry in English (1997) - described by reviewer Gordon McLauchlan at the time as plain, accessible but beautiful verse, crackling with insights - Male was recognised as New Zealand's major war poet.

After the war, Male became the first New Zealand organiser for the Corso aid agency. In 1946, he secured a job in the United Nations Secretariat in the Human Rights division. His first role was as Eleanor Roosevelt's private secretary.

He became social affairs officer for the section on Freedom of Information and the Press, and later chief of the Advisory Services section. He was at various times secretary of the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission on Freedom of Information.

In 1959, Male married Catherine Winston, a member of the staff of the Monthly Review. In 1964 they took early retirement and returned to New Zealand to live at Mahurangi Heads East, converting an old Presbyterian boys orphanage camp building into their home.

They lived the good life for nearly 35 years, growing fruit and vegetables, catching and smoking fish, gathering shellfish, sailing and making wine and beer. Their huge sitting room and its deck with stunning views of the Mahurangi estuary became a favourite gathering place for writers, peace activists, politicos and a wide range of friends.

Male took an intense interest in international affairs, and was a worldly raconteur with a keen sense of humour.

He was co-founder and founding president of the New Zealand Foundation for Peace Studies from 1974 to 1981, which established the Media Peace Awards. His war experiences and work for the UN gave him an abhorrence of war and an aversion to the international nuclear threat.

Back in New Zealand, he conceived an effective organisation that would promote peace by peaceful means.

He was active in community affairs and served on the Rodney County Council and various programme advisory committees for the NZ Broadcasting Corporation and TV One.

Male's lasting contribution to New Zealand has been as an effective campaigner in the cause of peace in a troubled 20th century, not only in setting up the peace foundation, but through his war poetry. Last year, he became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the peace movement.

He is survived by his son, Frank, four grandchildren and four great- grandchildren.