Letters to the editor: Rugby Park spending, Shane Jones' tangi comment

The Rugby Park grandstand, built in haste to host the 1965 Springboks after the original grandstand was destroyed by fire, faces imminent replacement by a new facility. Photo / Wynsley Wrigley

Letters to the Editor

OPINION

I only lived in Gisborne for four years but it seems a little disingenuous to claim the budget blowout at Rugby Park is due to discovering a high water table.

I believe the whole town is at sea level with some areas not far from Rugby Park below sea level.

Now $12.5 million is being spent when I am sure there are plenty of families still massively hurting from Cyclone Gabrielle.

It was a stadium before houses in Christchurch as well, so it seems like playing rugby union in NZ is far more important than housing people.

J McCormick

Ōamaru

NZ First minister Shane Jones' comments at Dame Tariana Turia’s tangi have drawn criticism. Photo / File

Shane Jones' tangi comment

In response to “Shane Jones criticises tikanga at Dame Tariana Turia’s tangi”, first published on the NZ Herald website on January 6.

The comments made by the honourable Shane Jones were, to me, quite out of order.

One would have thought, that on such an occasion as the passing of Tariana, they would have done their homework before visiting Whangaehu Marae.

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the tangihanga of my dear friend Tariana but was shocked after her burial to hear a statement made by Shane Jones: “Maranga e Tari, akona too iwi, manaakitia te manuhiri” which he later translated to “Tariana, rest no longer, arise and teach your people how to treat distinguished visitors”.

Over the years, Tariana has worked with her people, especially the young people and they have upheld their own rangatiratanga and to the maximum at her tangi.

To walk on to somebody’s whenua is a privilege, not a right. Therefore, they must be aware of the tikanga of the marae beforehand.

No one is more important than another when you walk on to the marae.

In all humbleness and humanity to sit on the paepae and have your korero heard must be done so accordingly to the kawa and tikanga of the marae.

To my understanding, the Prime Minister and other politicians have already assigned to them a cultural adviser so, therefore, the blame should not sit on the whānau of Turia but on Parliament.

Since the signing of Te Tiriti, the sovereign state has tried to push on to Māori its ways and procedures. This has led to this statement by Shane Jones.

The view of Shane Jones insists that parliamentary measures should be the same within the realms of pōwhiri at the marae.

One needs to compliment the statement made by Bill English, as was recorded by the media. We need to respect comments made outside of the paepae.

All the more reason that the Treaty principles amendment bill should be dropped.

Tino rangatiratanga is alive and well as shown on this day.

Moe mai, moe mai my dear friend Tariana Turia.

Pauline E. Tangiora

Mahia

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