Hill St Mob pressures

Press, 11 July 1983, Page 8

Hill St Mob pressures

PA Wellington A Maori warden who was involved with leasing the house said she knew Mongrel Mob members would face “suicidal” pressures when they moved into the Hill Street house opposite Parliament. “It’s not their choice but what can you do when you’ve got nothing?” said Mrs Maraea Harper, a member of the Whanganui-a-Tara Maori committee

which leased the house on behalf of the gang members. “It’s not the sort of place you want to stay, because off the pressure.” She said she was angry about attacks by other politicians and news media harassment of gang members.

“The boys are paying more than $lOO a week—a lot of those politicians are paying nothing,” she said.

“It’s about time politicians got involved with the problems. It’s a good thing that they’re faced with problems on their own doorstep for once.” She said much reaction to their arrival had been good.

“There was a little old lady who went there yesterday with some scones and said ‘welcome to the neighbourhood.’ There’s a hell of a lot of people supporting the boys’ move to the hill.”