Protest fears lead to Waitangi cancellation

Press, 19 December 1981, Page 2

Protest fears lead to Waitangi cancellation

PA Auckland Waitangi Day formalities have been cancelled for next year, because marae trustees fear a repetition of the protest action that has marred the formalities in recent years. A day of cultural events will replace them. Traditionally, the Gover-nor-General and the Prime Minister visit the marae on Waitangi Day, accompanied by members of the diplomatic corps. But after incidents in 1980, when the then Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Keith Holyoake, was jostled by protesters, and last year, when an investiture ceremony developeed into a brawl, the marae trustees have opted for something different.

The marae chairman, Mr Tupi Puriri, said from Paihia yesterday, “There is one thing we will not allow and that is to have our guests insulted.” The solution was not to have any guests, he said. This was a departure from a tradition dating back to the early 19505.

Mr Puriri said that the local community had organised an eight-day Treaty of Waitangi festival, with cultural items, stalls, and woodchopping, to run from January 30 to February 7. The guest ethnic group would be Yugoslavs, in recognition of their contribution to the north, and a feature of the festival would be the use of the traditional Maori canoe with its 200 paddlers.

“We feel it is our responsibility to test the feeling of the people on whether there is support for the treaty,” he said. “If there are strong indications that there is no support, we will make recommendations to the Government to have the function taken off the books. “The idea is to test the feeling of the people of New Zealand on whether there should be recognition of Waitangi Day.” As the trustees plan the festival events, . protesters are going ahead with plans for a march from Bastion Point to Waitangi. Mr Puriri promised that people who wanted to express their views “on a soapbox” would be able to do so, as long as they let others have the same opportunity.