Judges’ visit to marae played down

Press, 27 February 1981, Page 3

Judges’ visit to marae played down

! PA Hamilton; A gathering of District! Court judges on an Auck-t land inarae this week-end is! being played down because of fears it will attract Maori radicals. Judges from throughout the Auckland 'province will' live for two days on the' Whaiora marae, at Otara. But the organisers have been; reluctant to give details, for: what they' emphasis is a'pri-j vate occasion. Chief District Judge Sulli-’ van. of Wellington, said he' preferred that nebody should know about the function beforehand in case “somex of; the stirrers,” such as those' arrested at Waitangi .this; month, claim their rights to. sit on a marae. - j “It is a sort of private l function between the Maori' elders, their ru.ral relations,.; and ourselves, just to give! us some sort of background! on the whole thing,” he said.; The function would be a i “cultural exchange” of) view’s, and he would be pre-l: pared to give full details:

about it on Monday,' when i 'was over. 1 The Race Relations execu ■ tive officer, Ms Judy Dacre • whose office is organising the week-end with Judg; Mason, who is of Maori des cent. and elders fron throughout the Aucklanc ■ province, said they' wen 'publicity shy' but not be cause of protesters. “We are not .worriec : about protesters. If th« ; protocol and kawa of the i marae are observed, there i should be no problem.” M> ‘ Dacre said. But the organisers wantec the judges to be able to gc ■ on to the marae as ordinary ■ people, unheralded by the ; publicity that normally surrounded them in their offii cial duties. ; There would be informal 'discussions between the [judges and their wives and iMaori kaumatuas '(elders), Iwhich should not be made I into a special occasion tc jwhich a lot of other people, i not specifically protester*, 'might be attracted, Ms : Dacre said.