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A very good bridge builder is how Te Atiawa kaumatua Sam Jackson is being described.
Mr Jackson died in Wellington Hospital yesterday evening after a short illness. He was 80.
With his wife June, he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community in 2010.
Port Nicholson Settlement Trust chair Neville Baker says he worked as kaumatua and protocol advisor to numerous government organisations including Te Papa, IRD and Wellington Hospital, as well as representing Taranaki Whanui at Government for state welcomes and other official occasions.
"Round Wellington he was a good influence in terms of being a bridge builder and connector with regards to better relationships between the community people. A lot of the work of Port Nicholson Block, Wellington Tenths, Palmerston North Reserves, people in the Wellington City Council and government sort of used his services from time to time, and a very good bridge builder and connector," he says.
Sam Jackson will be taken to Pipitea Marae today.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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