A man who set thousands of Māori trade trainees on course for life will be laid to rest in Wellington today.

As a course supervisor at the Central Institute of Technology in Petone, Stan Hunt worked with the Department of Māori Affairs in the 1960s and 70s to set up and run the schemes.

Former department deputy secretary Neville Baker says the Englishman believed there were eight hours to work, eight hours to sleep and eight hours for leisure which needed to be filled.

Trainees stayed at hostels where sports, cultural and leisure activities were organised after the working day.

Rugby tours to areas like the East Coast were used to recruit more trainees.

Mr Baker says the result was high retention rates and high standards, with large firms like Fletchers snapping up apprentice carpenters when they completed their second year.

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