Maori land laws ‘discriminate’

Press, 5 July 1978, Page 11

Maori land laws ‘discriminate’

PA Masterton t 1 Government insensitivity s to Maori demands for a 1 change in land laws has been t criticised by a historian of t Maori affairs. Mr Keith Cairns told mem- r bers of the Masterton South t Rotary Club, “It is about ( time the Government showed I some understanding of the 1 fact that in New Zealand we i have land laws which discriminate against one people, 1 against individual members s of the people. I “I would like to see the r Government change the laws t so that everyone in ths coun- t try may receive justice. i “Bastion Point was a de- 1 mand for justice,” Mr Cairns said. s “I feel sorry as a pakeha a

and as a New Zealander that we have arrived at a situation where people have to fight for their rights in their own country and are then abused for it.” Mr Cairns said the bitterness and suspicion such as between protesters and the Government over Bastion Point had been prevalent in New Zealand’s history during the last 140 years. “All through New Zealand’s history of European settlement the Maori people have petitioned the Governor, the Government, the the Queen, the Churches, the people of the country asking for justice over their land. “They have never had it,” said Mr Cairns. “They have always had problems.”