Marlborough Mayor's wishes fall on deaf ears

By AUDREY YOUNG

The foreshore and seabed issue must remain rational and not deteriorate into a racial slanging match, says Marlborough District Mayor Tom Harrison.

But no sooner had he said that than Wanganui-based activist Ken Mair made reference to the "Ku Klux Klan mentalities" of the National and Act parties.

Mr Harrison, originally from England, is a former New Zealand First parliamentary candidate and says he is proud to say he has a Ngapuhi grandchild.

His district council has approved 500 marine farms in the past four years. That rate of growth prompted a confederation of eight top-of-the-South Island iwi to take a case to the Maori Land Court to seek customary title to the land being farmed.

Mr Harrison's council decided last Thursday it would initiate proceedings towards a Privy Council appeal.

He said the foreshore and seabed issue was "the most serious facing this nation today".

"It has to be resolved now and resolved quickly."

But it was important to keep the debate rational.

"We don't want this to get into a slanging match along racial lines.

"I am not pointing the finger at Maori. My grandchild is Maori - Ngapuhi."

Mr Mair, however, accused the Government of "deliberately sidelining the customary ownership issue to appease the Ku Klux Klan mentality of the National and Act parties".

The Crown had suggested it needed to assume exclusive title to guarantee free access to everyone for beaches, he said.

"The Crown makes an assumption that iwi cannot uphold the rights of access and use. This is clearly a racist and bigoted approach."

Port companies and the Department of Conservation had for years restricted entry to the waterfront.

Confiscation of land was "unbelievable, atrocious and will not be tolerated by our people".