Marae meeting of gang chiefs

Press, 4 April 1985, Page 1

Marae meeting of gang chiefs

Hopes are high that Christchurch’s gang troubles will ease after a meeting at the city’s national marae yesterday. . Gang leaders, the police, Maori elders, and representatives of the Maori Affairs Department met to discuss the gang tensions felt in Christchurch during the last week. The tension has resulted in outbreaks of violence and a number of gang members have been arrested.

A police representative who attended the meeting, Chief Superintendent John Jamieson, said that he believed the discussion would help “de-escalate” the gang troubles. The leaders of the Black Power, Mongrel Mob, and Highway 61 gangs attended the meeting at the marae in Pages Road. Mr Jamieson said that the leaders said their groups would not instigate any

more confrontations. It was. felt that excessive publicity had been given to the problems.

Extra police would still be brought into Christchurch for the Easter holiday week-end, said Mr Jamieson. If there was any trouble be believed it would be caused by persons “on the fringes” of the groups. The South Island director of the Maori Affairs Department, Mr Bill Edwards, said that there was no doubt the meeting helped ease the tension.

The gang leaders had felt that their groups had been dragged in by events which happened round them. Mr Peter Heal, chairman of the Nga Hau Wha Marae Trust Board, said last evening that the gang leaders had said that they would keep their people in order. “As long as they are not confronted with aggro from anyone else they won’t initi-

ate any,” he said. A positive result of the meeting was that work was likely to be arranged for gang members, many of whom were without jobs. Plans were under way to arrange work groups for the Black Power and Mongrel Mob gangs as well as for some members of the Highway 61 gang. Mr Heal said that this would immediately remove the pressure from gang members who had idle time.

The gang leaders were grateful to have the opportunity to talk with the Maori elders and air their views. The only place this could have been done was at the marae, said Mr Heal. Mr Jamieson said that the meeting was initiated by the Maori elders in Christchurch.

“As usual they showed a very responsible attitude and talked about it in an appropriate way,” he said.