There are four new recipients of the Turirangi Te Kani Memorial scholarships.

The Port of Tauranga scholarship programme offered for the last 21 years recognises not only the contribution made to the community by Turirangi Te Kani, who led the formation of the Matapihi-Ohuku Trust and served on the Tauranga-Moana Maori Trust Board, but also his services and advice to the Port of Tauranga.

Port Chief Executive Mark Cairns with tertiary scholarship winners Natasha, Danielle, Te Haana, and Wiremu.

A veteran of the Maori Battalion, Turirangi Te Kani died in 1990.

This year's recipients are:

Te Haana Jacob, 18, studying for a conjoint Bachelor Degree in Law and Maori Studies at Victoria University, Wellington.
Wiremu Kuka, 18, studying for a Bachelor of Engineering Degree at the University of Canterbury.
Danielle Lucas, 18, studying for a Bachelor of Law combined with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and minoring in Religious Studies, at the University of Otago.

Natasha Martin, 17, studying Medicine with her first year in Health Sciences at the University of Otago.

These students receive a scholarship for up to three years tertiary study and were eligible for it as young people from the Tauranga Moana Trust Board area with tribal affiliation with Tauranga Iwi.
Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns says the company has an active interest in the tertiary careers of the students they support.
The scholarships are awarded on a year-by-year basis and the students report back on their study progress and exam results each year.

Of the eight recipients of the award from 2009 and 2010, all have been affirmed to receive the scholarships funds again in 2011.