Gallagher Martin: Obituaries — Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu 
Gallagher Martin: Obituaries — Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu 
[Volume:633;Page:4755] 
MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 As a Waikato member of Parliament I take this opportunity to add to the many fine words that have been spoken here today. Frankly I cannot match those words but I take this opportunity to convey some personal reflections. Also as a Waikato regional member of Parliament I would like to convey to this Parliament the deep respect in which Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu was held in our region. I also convey to Parliament by dint of my public office the tributes that have been paid from the mayors of our region the leader of our regional council the many people in local government the educational institutions to the many community groups who came to Turangawaewae to convey their affection for The Lady as she came to be known. 
It was my huge pleasure as a member of Parliament and also as a former deputy mayor in Hamilton to meet with Dame Te Ata on a number of occasions and to enjoy her very gracious hospitality. Our last meeting was at a reception on the 40th anniversary of her coronation. She was a lady with a wonderful sense of warmth and sense of humour. At the fine age of 54 which is the age I am now I pointed out to her that at the time of the passing of the late King Koroki and her subsequent coronation I was a small pupil in form 3 at Hamilton Boys High School. Of course that was when she commenced being the queen in terms of Kingitanga. She thought that was quite funny. I tried to make that point because to me she was timeless; she was always there and she was always part of my individual frame of reference. Little did I know that that would be my last meeting with her and that sadly within a very short space of time she would have left us all. 
I also want to make some reflections about attending the funeral and paying my respects with the Prime Minister other members of Parliament and many thousands of people last Friday. One abiding memory I have of that day—and also of Monday as well—was the many fine young people who also came with their parents and families. Many of those young people were wearing school uniforms from around the country. They were fine young people and one reflects that they are indeed our future leaders—not just in terms of the Kingitanga movement and Maoridom but in terms of our country as a whole. One had a sense of the timelessness and of the absolute continuity that those young people will carry on. 
 At a personal level I want to thank Tainui for the graciousness with which they received me and the many other thousands who visited the marae both in terms of when we paid our respects on Friday and for the manner in which we were received on Monday. I want to convey my deep sense of honour and privilege for being able to be present at the coronation of the new king not just as a member of Parliament representing Hamilton West and as a Waikato member of Parliament—whose privilege it is to represent the many Tainui people who are on the general roll in my electorate—but also as a Waikato person. 
I also joined the many thousands as we went by bus to Taupiri mountain. I of course stayed on the road on State Highway 1 and looked up with those people at the sacred mountain. As the Prime Minister and others have noted the Queen’s coffin being taken up the mountain was a never-to-be-forgotten sight. It is a memory I will hold dear. Again I say that it was a personal privilege to be there with the thousands of people. It reminded me that in this country as relatively young as we all are there is a sense of timelessness and continuity. Indeed I believe that that is one of the contributions that Kingitanga makes to all of us; it gives us a sense of who we are—of our identity. 
Along with all members of this House I pay a tribute to a great and wonderful lady and to a very very humble and approachable leader whose legacy will live on for many many years to come. She will indeed be sorely missed by us all. Haere atu ra haere atu ra haere atu ra.