Stone Trust’s tents breach by-laws

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 3

Stone Trust’s tents breach by-laws

Westport reporter The Stone Kingdom Trust problems are by no means over after its members’ trespass convictions and fines in the District Court at Westport on Tuesday. The religious commune may soon be involved in another court action with the Forest Service which wants to recover more than $5OOO spent in shifting the Trust’s property. Legal proceedings may also be taken against them by the Buller County Council for non-compliance with its building by-laws. The trust has so far indicated that it has no intention of abiding by these man-made laws and will continue to act on the word of God. The Buller County Council at its meeting on Wednesday resolved to send a strongly worded letter to the Trust pointing out the likely consequences of its continued refusal to abide by the building bylaws. The trust will be given one month to stop living in tents before the council con-

siders prosecuting it for permanently living in substandard accommodation. At the meeting the building inspector, Mr Colin Comber, said that the council had begun prosecution proceedings late last year when the trust had made no effort to comply with its promises to erect permanent buildings, but these had lapsed. The council’s chairman, Mr Bill Mumm, said that it was time for strong action. The council had to be fair and treat everybody the same. It was no good prosecuting one section of the community for offences and letting others off the same by-law breaches. “They are working for God’s will, not ours. They are ignoring us and we have to move now before they go too far,” said Mr Mumm. “We have got to be cruel to be kind.” Mr Comber said that he did not want to harass the commune but he could not get anywhere in discussions with them.

“Every time I want to discuss matters with them I

have got to go to them. It is very expensive and timeconsuming,” he said. Mr Comber said he predicted further trouble at the end of four weeks. He and Mr Basil Climo, from the Forest Service, had had a two-hour discussion with trust leaders on Tuesday after the court case. The leaders had no intention of complying with council by-laws and intended living in tents permanently, said Mr Comber. He had asked them to write to the council explaining their veiws but this had been rejected. Cr Len Volkman said the Trust had received permits to build six to seven permanent housing units, an ablution block, and a cookhouse, and had even bought timber for these last year. However, they had made no attempt to build and did not appear likely to do so, he said. Mr Comber and Forest Service personnel will visit the Trust in four weeks to see if they are still living in tents and on their own land.