Eruera Tirikatene was the Member of Parliament for Southern Maori from 1932 to 1967 and leader of the Maori War Effort Organisation after the death of Paraire Paikea in 1943.
Leaders of Maori society have represented their people in the House, including Maui Pomare, James Carroll, Matiu Rata and, most famously, Apirana Ngata.
The alliance between the Ratana Church and the Labour Party was cemented at an historic meeting between T.W. Ratana and Prime Minister M.J. Savage on 22 April 1936.
