Samoa's head of state dies - NZ Prime Minister

CANBERRA, May 13 (Reuters) Samoa's King Malietoa Tanumafili II, one of the world's longest reigning monarchs, has died in his tiny South Pacific Islands country, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said today. He was 94.

Media reports said the king died Friday night in the Polynesian country's capital of Apia, where he had been in hospital for the past week.

Malietoa had been king of Samoa since the nation of about 180,000 people gained independence from New Zealand in January 1962.

''Through his long reign as head of state, Malietoa represented Samoa with wisdom, humour and insight,'' Clark said in a statement on Sunday. ''This is a day of great sadness for the nation of Samoa.'' Malietoa was made head of state for life when his country, made up of seven volcanic islands north east of Fiji, gained independence 45 years ago.

But under Samoa's constitution, his successor will be appointed for five-year terms and will be decided by a vote of the country's elected Legislative Assembly.

REUTERS DS KP1609