There's really no need to get all fired up about New Zealand's obviously antiquated laws relating to the powers of Maori wardens.
A few Wellington bar owners have jumped up and down, outraged at reports police have asked wardens there to enforce the "racist" laws which govern their powers and of
course the political parties have all jumped on the bandwagon.
The 1962 law under which the wardens were established enables them to order bars to stop serving "drunk and quarrelsome' Maori or to remove those Maori from bars.
That law is now of course deemed to be racist, but it was already under parliamentary review although its priority rating has no doubt gone up given the outrage expressed by some.
It hasn't been clear if the police did, or did not, instruct the wardens to enforce the old law but it seems highly unlikely they've specified targeting Maori. The Greens are demanding police clarify whether the wardens will specifically target drunk Maori during the rugby event.
It's hard to imagine that's what police anywhere in New Zealand have asked of the wardens. Imagine the furore.
What police in at least some parts of New Zealand are planning to do is use Maori wardens to help patrol the streets during the event, something they have done during other events in the past, to assist police and help act as a deterrent for any trouble.
The wardens have always largely acted as the eyes and ears of the police and have interacted with people on the streets.
In Rotorua, Maori wardens routinely work alongside police and patrol our city streets and they have done so for some years.
What this whole thing has highlighted is that maybe it's time to haul out all our old laws and give them all a bit of an overhaul. There must be many more outdated laws.
In the meantime, it's unlikely Maori out enjoying a beer or two will have anything to fear from our Maori wardens who will, no doubt, continue the good work they have been doing for years, in their own quiet, peaceful way.
