Tainui delays Solomon decision

By JON STOKES, maori issues reporter

Former Tainui co-chairman Haydn Solomon will have to wait at least another week to learn whether he can remain on the tribe's powerful executive.

Mr Solomon's future remained undecided after the tribe's board was unable to make a decision on whether to remove him over his involvement in controversial Correction's Department contracts, at a special board meeting at Tainui's Endowed College near Hamilton yesterday.

But the executive did accept the findings of the report by the Hamilton firm Forensic Investigations, whose report includes allegations that four tribal staff, including Mr Solomon, invoiced both the Corrections Department and the tribe for more than $10,000 each for the same work for Maori consultation into Springhill prison near Meremere.

It is understood the decision was delayed because insufficient notice was given to legally vote on Mr Solomon's removal.

The tribe's constitution requires five days' written notice.

Notice had been given for yesterday's meeting, it did not include notification that a vote would be held to decide if Mr Solomon should stay.

A source on the executive said that with Mr Solomon successfully challenging moves to suspend him as co-chairman, at a considerable cost to the tribe, it was important that the executive dotted its I's and crossed its T's to ensure his removal could survive a legal challenge.

It is expected that the next board meeting will be held this month.

It is understood Mr Solomon left yesterday's meeting early following often heated debate over the report.