Wild horses kick up trouble in Far North

Wild horses in the Far North continue to be a source of tension between the Government and Maori.

Hundreds are roaming Ninety Mile Beach (Te One Roa) and the adjoining Aupouri Forest.

There have been no complaints from locals or forest manager Juken Nissho, but at North Cape the Conservation Department says about 20 horses are damaging irreplaceable flora and fauna.

The department is anxious to avoid a repeat of the conflict that occurred three years ago when its staff shot and killed seven horses said to have damaged a $100,000 electric fence protecting conservation land. A year earlier it shot five horses.

Members of Ngati-kuri iwi were furious, saying the horses had not damaged the fence. One of the mares killed, known as Big Red, had been a favourite of children at Te Hapua School and some pupils had learned to ride on her.

The Conservation Minister at the time, Nick Smith, initially backed his staff but then apologised and ordered an inquiry. Some staff changes followed.

The department's Kaitaia area manager, Steve McGill, has been in the job 18 months and says there has been no more damage to the fence. He is working on holding a public meeting next year to discuss "options".

Mr McGill was not prepared to discuss those options with the Weekend Herald, saying the issue was complicated by land claim negotiations between Ngati-kuri and the Office of Treaty Settlements.

He said the horses were eating plants on the conservation area and damaging some beaches with their hooves.

"Horses in Northland are an issue right across the board. There are a lot of horses."