Guest editorial: Wrangle over first settlers

It was a breath of fresh air to see the part-Maori leader David Rankin being honest at long last in stating that the Maori are not the original people of this country.

Maori are about the fourth or fifth race of people to be brought to this country, which can be proved going on ships'records and the physical evidence right throughout this country.

These tribes in New Zealand did not all originate from the same place - they were brought here by the Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch from all over the Pacific Basin over many centuries.

Recently I wrote to the Prime Minister and MPs on both sides of the House requesting a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the true early history of New Zealand. The only replies I received were from the PM, acknowledging receipt of my request, and the Treaty Minister Chris Finlayson requesting that I do not communicate with him again.

Here is one of many facts of this country's early history gained from ships' records discovered in EuropeIn 1521 there were 30 Spanish ships operating in and out of Hao Atoll.

One of these ships - as noted in the ship's log - picked up 100 islanders and brought them to the Kaipara Harbour on the southern side and put them off at a Waitaha village named Aotea.

These newly arrived peoples did not integrate and built canoes which took them down the coast to Raglan Harbour, settling at a place they named Aotea.

It is interesting to find out that some years ago the current kaumatua decided to excavate their ancestral canoe, taking timbers to the Waikato University to establish type and age. These timbers were found to be of kauri origin and were promptly taken back and reburied.

The name of that Spanish ship that brought these Hao islanders to this country was Tai-Nui.