Mr Rata criticised on land policy

Press, 13 June 1978, Page 2

Mr Rata criticised on land policy

PA Wellington The Opposition spokesman on Maori Affairs (Mr M. Rata) had oversimplified the complex issue of dealing with Maori land claims by saying that a Labour Government would restore Bastion Point and other titles to the original Maori owners, said the Minister of Lands (Mr V. S. Young) yesterday.

He was commenting on Labour’s new Maori land policy, which was announced by Mr Rata at a meeting at Gratia. Mr Rata said Labour would restore Bastion Point land titles to the NgatiWhatua people through their' own trust board, reconstitute the Orakei Marae Trust Board to restore to the Ngati-Whatua the right to govern and administer their own affairs, and expand the ' powers and functions of the Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal. Mr Young said yesterday 'that as a former Minister of 'Lands Mr Rata had had the [opportunity to do “A great ideal more than he did about i the Bastion Point land griev«

ances, the Raglan golf. l course issue, the return of I the bed of the Arahura River, and other questions that the Government is now considering with Maori representatives. “That he is only now proposing solutions to these problems is sure evidence either of Labour’s lack of progress in these matters or the difficulty of the problems,” Mr Young said. “This is particularly so in cases where third parties are involved, such as at Raglan with the Raglan Golf Club, or where the Crown or another party has clear title to the land in question. ' “It is not sufficient just to pass these issues over to the Waitangi tribunal or any other similar body that cannot have administrative or financial responsibility,” Mr Young said. These were problems for the Government to resolve. “Unfortunately, the task is often made more difficult by the intrusion of other political elements into a negotiation,” he said. It was such an element, in

fl the case of Bastion Point, I that prevented an almost i unanimous agreement be- ; tween the Crown and the Ngati-Whatua being implemented much easier. “The Government will not be pressurised by such tac- ! tics. Neither will it act with- ; out due consideration or avoid its responsibilities to ' discuss and resolve long- ■ standing land grievances,” Mr Young said. Some of the land quesi tions that had been dealt ' with in the last two years , had been outstanding since ■ the late 1800 s. “In most cases there is no question as to the legality of the ownership of the land but rather it is the long history of transfers, or the use of the Public Works Act to take land, which have required re-examination,” said Mr Young.