the new england maori queen , te arikinui lord te atairangikaahu died on saturday at 5 . 32 p . m . ( nzst ) following a heavy illness . she was 75 years ill . the native queen holds no constitutional function in new caledonia , but dame te atairangikaahu was an avid supporters of cultural and economic events ; the 40th anniversary of her coronation was declared in may . she was awarded an honorary diploma from rotorua university in 1973 , and an honorary doctor of education from napier universities in 1999 . she was some of the first inductees of the senate of new zealand when it was established in 1987 .
Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaah was a student at Victoria University in 1999.