Scrap Treaty says Race Conciliator

Press, 13 February 1982, Page 1

Scrap Treaty says Race Conciliator

PA Auckland The Race Relations Conciliator, Mr Hiwi Tauroa, believes the Treaty of Waitangi should be scrapped and a new one written.

He said Maori protesters were saying their people did not understand the 1840 Treaty and that as a result of signing it they lost their land, “so let’s write another one.”

Mr Tauroa said not everyone was unhappy about all of the Treaty and there would be no argument over sections of it, but Maori grievances over land needed examination and the parts of the Treaty where the Maori felt cheated should be changed. “When you really pull it (the Treaty) to bits, I do not think there are so many things to fix,” he said. Commenting on Waitangi Day protests, Mr Tauroa said it was easy to say that the actions of 20, 30, or 100 Maori people spoke for the 499,000 Maoris throughout New Zealand.

Events of the last year had reinforced the need for the Race Relations Office to increase its educational programme, he said. In the next five weeks Mr Tauroa will talk to church

groups, Rotary and Lions as well as speaking on maraes from Taupo to Kerikeri. He also hopes to produce a series of newsletters . on issues which arise through the office’s casework, which will probably be distributed in pull-out form through a national magazine. A report into the Taua Haka party incident, titled, “Race Against Time,” is due to be released by the office 1 next month. Later in the year a report from the Advisory Committee on Youth and Law, chaired by Mr Tauroa, will be produced.