The Long Yarn Of The Law

Tu Tangata, Issue 20, 1 October 1984, Page 39

The Long Yarn Of The Law

Author: Fiona McMorran Publishers: Government Printer Commercial Union Assurance On reading The Long Yarn Of The Law ones immediate impulse is to call a policeman and have both the publishers

and author arrested and charged with misrepresentation. Alledgedly a brief and objective history of policing, the book is in fact highly subjective and distorted; particularly in reference to Maori. Throughout the book Maori are characterised as lawless from the day Captain Cook, in 1769, had a Maori shot ‘for taking some cloth' to the present. ‘Maori', the author charges, ‘have problems about law and order that still remain with us’. But presumably not europeans: from 19th century escaped convicts and ship deserters (no mention) to contemporary villains. Further, Maori have contributed nothing to the maintenance of law and order in New Zealand, according to the author by implication. There is no reference to the fact that 60% of Governor Greys Constabulary first named in 1852 were Maori. Nor is there reference to the fact that there are Maori in the Police Department today. There are 52 photographs of policemen in the book. And not one Maori policeman (or woman) appears in any of them. However, eight pages of cartoon drawings well illustrate Maori ‘villains’: Te Whiti, Tohu and Rua Kenana and his lawless followers! And, of course, there

is reference to Bastion Point to bring the catalogue of maori lawlessness up to date....

Designed for schools, The Long Yarn Of The Law is a travesty, a parody of law enforcement and its background that can serve no useful purpose in a multi-racial educational system. It should not have been published. Ironically perhaps, the author is at present employed with the Human Rights Commission, according to the publishers.

Alan Taylor