Surprise for new ONZM member

When Professor Keith Thompson received a letter stating he was becoming a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, he thought it had been sent to the wrong Thompson.

However, when he read further he realised it was for his work in the field of veterinary pathology.

Having worked in the field for 40 years, Thompson’s expertise is in the disease of the skeletal system of animals. He is known internationally as expert.

Despite all of these achievements, Thompson said he was still shocked when he discovered he was being recognised.

But he said getting into pathology was a stroke of luck and mostly down to his wife.

‘‘I married a girl in the year behind me so I had to hang around and do something till she graduated, so I did some postgraduate work with Bob Jolly.’’

After negotiating the Rangitaane settlement with the Crown for Treaty of Waitangi breaches, Maurice Takarangi says it is a nice coincidence he is being recognised for service to Maori the same year a conclusion was reached.

Takarangi became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for service to Maori.

Takarangi has more than 22 years’ experience with land and fisheries claims and is a specialist in Treaty of Waitangi claims.

He was appointed as deputy principal negotiator for Rangitaane o Manawatu in 1997 and has been involved with the claim since it was lodged in 1990, with 2016 finally showing a settlement reached.

Being acknowledged the same year the settlement was reached was lovely, he said.

‘‘I’ve spent a lot of time on treaty settlements for Rangitaane.

‘‘That’s a lovely coincidence, I think it’s a nice coincidence.’’

Keeping the award a secret from his family had been difficult. ‘‘They got a bit suspicious.’’ Even though he celebrated his 70th birthday this year, Takarangi said he had no plans to slow down.