PHOTO: SUPPLIEDFamily of the late Bishop of Te Waipounamu, Richard Wallace, are calling for the return of sacred and sentimental items brazenly stolen in a burglary of the Māori Anglican diocesan office. Bishop Wallace, of Ngati Mahaki and upoko of Te Runanga o Makaawhio, and his family lived in Hokitika before his elevation as bishop, the first Ngai Tahu bishop to hold office. "That particular crozier was carved and gifted by the [Makaawhio] runanga when Dad was ordained in 2017. "It was placed into a special taonga box carved by a whanau member, Jamie Whittle. "They’re all pretty distinctive taonga and to be fair they’re not really worth anything to anybody else.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 22, 2026 15:52 UTC