Coromandel protest

Press, 27 November 1986, Page 1

Coromandel protest

PA Hamilton The police refused last evening to give details about - a confrontation with mining protesters who had thrown a “cordon” round drilling equipment dropped by helicopter into a forest clearing on Coromandel Peninsula. It was believed that up to 50 people were arrested at the Whangapoua State Forest site, but this could not be verified.

The officer in charge of the operation, Chief Inspector Max Morresey, of Hamilton, indicated through a spokesman that he would not comment on yesterday’s action until this morning. A spokesman for Peninsula Watchdog, Mr Mike Donoghue, said earlier that police armed

with long batons arrested 45 to 50 people, Mr Donoghue said two mining company employees had punched protesters in the face.

A protester, Mr Jeff Carse, who was at the site, said about 60 people* — men, women and children — were in the forest clearing at the time. He said about 10 police “bullied and dragged” people off the equipment. “I was pulled by my ear, which is now bleeding, and swung into bushes and trees,” he said from a farmhouse protester base at Whangapoua. Mr Carse said that after the police removed the protesters the activists linked arms, circled the equipment and sat down. There was a “long wait” while the police waited for reinforce-

ments, he said. The president of the Mining and Exploration Association of New Zealand, Mr Bob Adamson, said last evening that mineral exploration companies going about their lawful business on Coromandel were being severely hampered by the activities of “fanatical opponents to mining.” The companies had spent a great deal of time and money seeking licences so that they could conduct the work. They abided by the environmental protection conditions placed on the licences by the Planning Tribunal, he said. “We regret the police have had to become involved to protect the rights of a mineral explorer and we are grateful for their efforts,” Mr Adamson said.

He said the image of Coromandel as a beautiful area was being soured by the activities of anti-mining extremists.

They “booby trap bush walks, slash car tyres, intimidate innocent visitors to the peninsula and use threatening standover tactics to evict anyone they suspect of acting contrary to their wishes,” Mr Adamson said.

The tourist potential of Coromandel was being threatened by them and not the activities of mining companies, he said. “The core of the opposition to mining comes from the isolated communes of alternative lifestylers and not from the bona fide locals who were born and bred on the peninsula,” Mr Adamson said.