War of words over Treaty settlement

Rudy Taylor says a number of Kaikohe hapu have opposed Tuhoronuku with one hapu withdrawing a member from its board. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Kaikohe hapu have shown their opposition to Tuhoronuku negotiating the Ngapuhi Treaty settlement with one hapu removing their speaker from its board.

The opposition was highlighted at a hui held at Te Kotahitangi Marae in Kaikohe earlier this month where Ngati Whakaeke voted against electing a hapu kaikorero (speaker) to Tuhoronuku - the claim negotiation body. Despite the opposition, Tuhoronuku is going ahead with negotiations and are about to appoint three negotiators.

Rudy Taylor, co-chairman of Te Kotahitanga, the group opposing Tuhoronuku, said other Kaikohe hapu members had said they opposed Tuhoronuku, including Ngati Tautahi who had withdrawn a kaikorero from the Tuhoronuku board.

"[Tuhoronuku] is beginning to become a corporate runanga. There's nothing to the social side where they're looking after people," he said "If a hapu already inside the Tuhoronuku tent wants out then clearly something is not right."

Kaikohe hapu Ngati Tautahi made the decision last month to withdraw Toko Tahere, their hapu speaker, from the Tuhoronuku board.

"It was the hapu decision, not my decision, to withdraw my position. They said to me 'Toko you've been on that board for eight years and we've got nothing out of it. It's a Crown process, it's Pakeha tikanga (protocol), not tikanga Maori'," Mr Tahere said.

Mr Taylor said 45 people from different Kaikohe hapu attended the hui and 39 said they opposed Tuhoronuku. Mr Toko said the strong opposition illustrated the power of hapu.

"Look at the strength of the hapu - just how long will Tuhoronuku still hold the mandate?" Mr Tahere said.

Tuhoronuku chairman Sonny Tau said members had the right to withdraw from Tuhoronuku and said other hapu had the opportunity to come on board.

Meanwhile, Mr Taylor said Tuhoronuku should wait until the Waitangi Tribunal had completed its report into whether the process in which Tuhoronuku was given mandate to negotiate was fair.

"It's like putting the cart before the horse. That report will be looking at what's best for Ngapuhi so they should wait for the report," said Mr Taylor.