Arrests next time—P.M.

Press, 26 June 1978, Page 1

Arrests next time—P.M.

PA Auckland The Cabinet today will discuss the disruption that occurred in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland last week when the first group of Bastion Point protesters answered summonses for wilful trespass. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said last evening that he would ask for reports from the Minister of Police (Mr McCready) and the Minister of Justice (Mr Thomson). “I think both the police

and the Justice Department have been talking about it over the weekend,” Mr Muldoon said. “We cannot have that kind of thing happening in our courts,” he said. "They (the protesters) can get away with it once but next time there are likely to be a fairly large number of arrests.” Mr Muldoon said it was now clear that the demonstration, during which slogans were daubed on courtroom panelling, was

“very largely sparked off by the extreme Left.” Suggestions that their campaign was dominated by Left-wing pakeha extremists were denied yesterday by the Maori land protesters. Two of the protest leaders, Messrs J. P. Hawke and R. M. Rameka, said there was no split in the movement "The Orakei Marae Committee action group is firmly in control of this issue, as it always has

been,” they said, in a statement. “It is simply not true that we are dominated by a Left-wing pakeha element, and it is not true that we have any argument with any of our supporters, be they Maori or pakeha. “We continue to welcome support from all those people who want to assist us.” Messrs Hawke and Rameka said they regretted the damage done to the courtroom.