15 Aug 2011

Tangi for Sir Paul Reeves to begin today

9:16 am on 15 August 2011

A tangi for former New Zealand governor General, Sir Paul Reeves begins in Auckland this afternoon.

Thousands of people are expected to attend.

Sir Paul had been suffering from cancer and died yesterday at the age of 78.

He chaired the Fiji Constitution Review Commission from 1995 until 1997, and acted as a Commonwealth special envoy to the country in 2009.

The current Governor General, Sir Anand Satyanand, says Sir Paul was a true representative of the people.

"To me, he stood for social justice and as Governor General, he advocated this. And in other contributions, for example as a bishop, and in the international arena, particularly in Fiji and Guyana, again social justice for everybody, was his quest."

Sir Anand Satyanand says Sir Paul Reeves came from humble beginnings to make his mark.

A state funeral for Sir Paul is being planned.