y ▁Chair person ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Pe at ▁was ▁behind ▁moves ▁to ▁create ▁an ▁official ▁flag ▁for ▁O tag o . ▁This ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁a ▁competition ▁run ▁through ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁the ▁O tag o ▁Daily ▁Times ▁newspaper ▁and ▁O tag o ▁Poly techn ic ▁School ▁of ▁Art ▁towards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Pe at ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Creative ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Michael ▁King ▁Writ ers ' ▁Fellow ship , ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁largest ▁literary ▁award . ▁It ▁allowed ▁him ▁to ▁complete ▁two ▁major ▁works , ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁book ▁on ▁the ▁Tas man ▁Sea , ▁and ▁the ▁third ▁story ▁in ▁the ▁" L ark " ▁tr il ogy ▁expl oring ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁southern ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁CL N Z ▁Writ ers ' ▁Award ▁for ▁his ▁project ▁The ▁Inv ading ▁Sea . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁New ▁Year ▁Hon ours , ▁Pe at ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Order ▁of ▁Mer it , ▁for ▁services ▁to ▁conservation . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁Ne ville ▁Pe at ▁– ▁the ▁author ' s ▁website ▁ ▁Smith son ian ▁Study ▁T ours ' ▁Ne ville ▁Pe at ▁bi ography ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 4 7 ▁birth s ▁Category : L iving ▁people