Minister dampens land threat fears

Press, 25 August 1988, Page 1

Minister dampens land threat fears

Political reporter

The number of people who feel threatened by Maori land grievances is alarming the Associate Minister for State-Owned Enterprises, Mr Neilson. He said people were concerned that somehow the Waitangi Tribunal would take away their own sections to redress ancient wrongs. People needed to understand that the Waitangi Tribunal could only make recommendations to the Government; the Government made the final decision, not the tribunal.

As the Treaty of Waitangi had

been between the Crown and the tribes, only Government-owned land could be transferred in compensation, Mr Neilson said. If the land in dispute was now in private hands the Crown would have to pay compensation or transfer other land in Crown ownership to redress the grievance. In both cases, the private ownership of the land was not under consideration, and so concern about the family section should not arise, he said.

There was sufficient good will on both sides to overcome the problems faced.