Barter scam fools tribe members

A small Bay of Plenty sub-tribe which has lost tens of thousands of dollars' worth of goods has warned Maori to be wary of a barter scheme organised by a Maori independence campaigner.

Members of Ngati Te Wai, based near Katikati, have been left red-faced and angry over the actions of a man they believe tricked them into trading goods and produce for worthless "Maori pounds".

Hapu member Mutu Bryan said the group were persuaded to swap money and goods for the pounds, which they were assured would soon be legal tender.

Mr Bryan was among hundreds of hapu members from throughout the North Island who travelled to Auckland for auctions, using goods they provided.

The goods were bought at auction using "Maori pounds" or cash.

Mr Bryan said whanau were told a bank would soon be available to cash the pounds, which the organiser claimed were equal in value to the English pound.

"We are simple country people. We believed him and backed his kaupapa."

The small community has been left with thousands of the worthless pounds and cannot contact the organiser.

"We ... saw this as a way of getting ahead. We worked hard, growing crops, and taking vanloads of produce to these auctions."

The self-employed carver said a number of his works had been bought with the pounds.

Mr Bryan has 3500 "pounds", and said the 50-strong hapu had between 30,000 and 40,000 collectively.

"It is not just our hapu, there are hundreds of people involved, people from Northland to the East Coast. He said he was going to swap the money for cash, but I can't get hold of him.

"I want others to know that they cannot always trust their own."

The auction organiser could not be contacted, but a website he is named on urges co-operatives and community support groups to trade items including cars, farm machinery, pigs, fruit and vegetables, electrical appliances, labour, motel accommodation and clothing for "Barterca$h".

A spokesman for the Manukau police said hapu members should contact police if they had concerns.

"If they have been told that the money [pounds] was equivalent to an amount and it is not, then that could be a fraud."