Historian gives his version

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 9

Historian gives his version

By

JANE DUNBAR

A paper on Maori land claims called, “Let the Truth be Known,” is an “extraordinary web of misinformation” and is in places “irresponsible and scurrilous,” says a Christchurch historian, Mr Harry Evison. The paper was written by an Auckland woman, Mrs Hilda Phillips, and has been publicised by the One New Zealand Foundation, and recently in an Australasian Rotary magazine, “Rotary Down Under.” In response to the publicity, Mr Evison, who has worked as a historian on the Ngai Tahu land claim, has written a booklet dealing with specific points made in “Let the Truth be Known.” Mrs Phillips had made grave charges against the Waitangi Tribunal, the Maori Affairs Department, Maori Trust Boards, Maori claims and the Maori Land Court and some of its judges, he said. Her references to legal documents and parliamentary papers gave the booklet a ring of authority, and it had found its way into some libraries. But in truth it was an example of what could be done in the name of “national interest” and “democratic justice” to duel the so-called “white backlash” against Maori claims, said Mr Evison. The supposed purpose of “let the Truth be Known" was to promote national unity and the reform of the Maori land law. But the distortion or misrepresentation of legal and historical documents served to divide New Zealanders rather than unite them, he said. Old prejudices were revived and new ones created, with confusion breeding further intolerance. Mr Evison said he did not challenge Mrs Phillips’s right to an opinion. What concerned him was the way she had selectively used primary source material to create a false impression. In one instance, for example, she had quoted from parliamentary records (1888) that “the obligations of the Government in regard to the Maori claims in the South Island have been recognised over and over again.” This was only half a sentence, said Mr Evison. The rest of the sentence showed that although the claims had been recognised, nothing was done to settle them.