HISTORIC SITE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1929, Page 9

HISTORIC SITE

TREATY OF WAITAXGI

Suggestions that the .Government should nrako an effort to plafte a suitable memorial on the spot where the Treaty of "Waitangi was : signed were made in the House of Kepresentatives yesterday afternoon.- The Minister of Lands (the Hon. G. W. Forbes) stated [that the difficulty was that the land ou which the historic- ceremony tooK place was privately ownedj and it would be necessary to acquire the area. The matter was introduced by Captain H. M. Bushworth (Country Party, Bay of Islands), who said there was no me iorial at the spot. A monument had been, erected by the Maoris on the far side of the river, but that was not sufficient. Some form of memorial should, be erected on the actual spot.

Mr. K. S. Williams (Beform, Bay of Plenty) saia he had previously tried to interest the Government in the matter, and he thought it was time the pakeha population took the question 'up. The site was probably, one of the most historic in the Dominion. ' - .

The Minister of Lands said the site where the Treaty was signed was' on. private land, and.it would mean, that the land would.have to be acquired before the Government could erect .any monument. He was informed by his Department that the land that would have to>be acquired amounted to between 200 and 300 acres; and so far it had not been possible to come -to'any. arrangement owing to lack of funds. The matter would not,be .lost sight of. Mr. Tau Henare (Beform,' Northern Maori) said there .was no doubt in his mind that the important spot should be secured for public use. At the present time many people visited the Maori: memorial in the belief that they were visiting the spot where the Treaty 'was actually signed.