Treaty of Waitangi major issue to be faced—Sir Paul

Press, 30 June 1988, Page 4

Treaty of Waitangi major issue to be faced —Sir Paul

By BRENDON BURNS, political reporter

The Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Paul Reeves, expressed concern yesterday about labour market reform, and possible public spending cuts, only hours before one of his audience, the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, announced Budget spending reductions. Sir Paul was speaking at a function at Government House in Wellington where the commission to plan celebrations for 1990 was launched.

As patron of the commission, Sir Paul said that if its work was directed at who New Zealanders were, nobody could imagine

1990 would be an easy time. But it could be a time of powerful ideas and powerful personalities, he said. “As I look ahead, I see two major issues. One is the future of our labour market where women are concentrated in the health, teaching, and public sector professions, the areas which are dependent on public funding,” Sir Paul said. The other main issue to be faced was the Treaty of Waitangi, 1990 marking 150 years since the treaty was signed. Sir Paul said last week that Sir James Henare had set the parameters of the debate on the treaty.

“He said that to Europeans the treaty marked the birth of New Zealand while to Maoris the treaty gave them legitimate rights over land and sea.” The Government House function was attended by a virtual Who’s Who of New Zealand society, ranging from knights of the Realm to children from a kohanga reo, who sang a song of welcome.

The chairman of the 1990 commission, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr Michael Bassett, said 1990 would be a significant milestone for all New Zealanders.

“Already there is debate as to whether it will be a year of cele-

bration, .of commemoration, or of upset and grievances. Certainly it will be a year of choices for us all,” he said.

Dr Bassett said New Zealand could choose to go forward in unity or to focus on grievances.

First and foremost, 1990 was the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. “It is one of the commission’s aims that its work should contribute to the treaty’s being viewed honourably by all New Zealanders,” Dr Bassett said. 1990 also marked other events, he said, including 1000 years of known habitation of New Zealand. Auckland and Well-

ington were to celebrate 150 years, and the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Gallipoli landings and 50 years of Air New Zealand were also occurring.

Dr Bassett said all New Zealanders were a little like the kotuku, or white heron, which is the symbol of the 1990 commission. “None of us is native in this land but, like it, we have adapted to our environment. We are now a part of it, proud of it and want the best for it,” he said. The commission will consider all proposals for events to celebrate 1990. Executive officers are in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.