Hepi Te Heuheu Tūkino VII

After his father died on 27 April 1944, Hepi succeeded him as elected chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa at the age of 25, in a ceremony conducted by the Māori King, Korokī.He was influential in selling many lands early settlers required to developed, with strong opposition from traditionally non-selling families.He led the congress in a successful effort to retain and increase the number of Māori electorates, and in opposition to the Runanga Iwi Act 1990 which was repealed in 1991.Then in 1995 he played a leading role in opposing the government's proposal to set a capped budget ("fiscal envelope") for the settlement of historic Treaty of Waitangi claims.[5] In the 1979 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the Māori people and community.
Ngāti TūwharetoaHoani Te Heuheu Tūkino VITumu Te Heuheu Tūkino VIIIWellingtonTaupōMāoriNorth IslandMāori KingKorokīancestral landsTūwharetoaTongariro National ParkTreaty of WaitangiMāori electoratessettlement of historic Treaty of Waitangi claimsGeorgina te HeuheuNational PartyQueen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal1979 New Year HonoursKnight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOfficer of the Order of St JohnDictionary of New Zealand BiographyMinistry for Culture and HeritageThe London Gazette