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Kiwi of the Week

  • Charles Upham

    Charles Upham is probably New Zealand's most famous soldier. His actions in Crete in 1941 and Egypt in 1942 led to his becoming one of only three people – and the only combat soldier – ever to win the Victoria Cross twice.

Today in History

1972 Death of poet James K. Baxter

Acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s most accomplished poets, Baxter had devoted the last years of his life to social work among alcoholics and drug addicts. He died in Auckland, aged 46, soon after leaving the commune he had founded several years earlier at Jerusalem on the Whanganui River.

His body was escorted by his family back to Jerusalem. Hundreds of mourners attended a full Māori tangihanga. Following a requiem mass on 25 October, he was buried on tribal land. One year later a boulder inscribed ‘Hemi / James Keir Baxter / i whanau 1926 / i mate 1972’, was placed on his grave.

Image: Jacquie Baxter and her granddaughter Stephanie at James K. Baxter’s grave

How to cite this page: 'Death of poet James K. Baxter ', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/death-of-poet-james-k-baxter-in-auckland, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 20-Dec-2012