Ngai Tahu warns of racial tension

By MONIQUE DEVEREUX

The South Island's main tribe, Ngai Tahu, has warned the Government that its foreshore and seabed proposal will threaten racial harmony.

Speaking at the Government's seventh hui, held at Rapaki Marae near Lyttelton, Ngai Tahu kaiwhakahaere (leader) Mark Solomon said the tribe rejected the Government's proposals outright.

They were not in the spirit of the apology the Crown made to Ngai Tahu five years ago for breaching Treaty of Waitangi principles.

"Surely this is not evidence of a new age of co-operation with Ngai Tahu," Mr Solomon said. "Sadly it is evidence of further unconscionable and repeated breaches of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in your dealings with Ngai Tahu.

"Does this mean your apology was worthless?"

The antagonism towards Maori created by the access issue was deplorable.

"We have never proposed to stop access to the foreshore and seabed," he said. If the Government continued with its proposals it "will change the nature of bicultural relationships in this country forever".

But the Government received a much warmer welcome at Rapaki than in Whangarei earlier in the week, where protest action forced the cancellation of the sixth hui. There were no protesters and no need for the plain-clothes police officers who mingled in the crowd.

Perched above the picturesque turquoise waters of Rapaki Bay, the only bluster at the hui was the fierce Canterbury nor-wester that at times threatened to separate the marquee's roof from the walls.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen reiterated the Government's position - it wants to recognise customary rights, but wants to declare land below the high tide mark in the public domain to ensure public access - but promised to listen to the advice of Ngai Tahu.

He thanked Ngai Tahu for offering the "most deliberate and articulate set of submissions so far".

Hui to come

Today: Bluff

September 23: New Plymouth

September 25: Wellington

September 26: Auckland