April 21, 2013
Hapu protests toxic gold mine plan
Ngāti Hau members plan to protest beside state highway one near Puhipuhi north of Whangarei today against gold mining their maunga.
Kaumatua Ben Pittman says some hapū members wanted to block the highway, but after considerable debate agreed to a peaceful non-disruptive protest.
He says Puhipuhi Mining Action Group members, who include tangata whenua, farmers and environmentalists, are concerned that mining the mountain will release toxins including mercury into underground aquifers.
Springs and the waterways flow from the mountain south and west into the dairy rich Hikurangi Swamp district and the Kaipara Harbour and north and east to the Whangaruru Harbour and the Bay of Islands catchment.
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