Row brewing over marae responsibility

Press, 19 February 1988, Page 6

Row brewing over marae responsibility

By

JANE ENGLAND,

Maori affairs reporter

A row is brewing between the Minister of Maori Affairs, Mr Wetere, and the Christchurch City Council over responsibility for a solution to the problems of the national marae.

Mr Wetere said yesterday that he had been saddened by the wind-ing-up petition. But he understood the pressure the marae’s board of trustees had been under and accepted the decision.

In the meantime, the Government had no comment to make on how it might be able to assist, he said.

“I expect the Christchurch City Council, as the owner of the land, to find a solution,” he said. The council’s representative on the board, Cr Alister James, said he hoped Mr Wetere was not seeking to wash his hands of the affair and “pass the buck” to the council. “He has to take a great deal of the blame himself because the Government dilly-dallied over funding and when it reached a decision it was a little late.” Cr James said that it had been particularly stressful for the trustees and sparked the first divisions in administration.

He said he did not think the council owned the land.

“My understanding is that the land was transferred by the council to the marae.” But he believed that under the marae national incorporated society rules there was a clause which said that in the event of a windingup the assets would pass to the council.

“Although assets. include the land and marae, if there is money outstanding there is a question of where that money is to come from. “I would basically think a solution is a matter for the NgaiTahu Maori Trust Board, the City Council and the Maori Affairs Department to determine.

“Although there is a petition to wind up the marae, the question remains as to whether it will be opposed by Mr (Hori) Brennan and his supporters.”

Cr James said he thought there would have originally been some benefit in Mr Wetere’s “getting together” with Mr Brennan.

"I feel Mr Wetere could have used his mana in doing that. “I basically felt Mr Wetere could have done a great deal more in getting a solution earlier on.”