November 25, 2013
Lake kaitiaki unbowed by threats
The guardian of Lake Horowhenua says trustees are falling down in their duty to protect the lake for the people of Muaupoko.
Philip Taueki was last week issued a trespass notice by the chair of the lake trustees.
He says he won’t leave his home in a former plant nursery beside the lake, nor will he stop fighting to clean up what is recognised as one of the most polluted waterways in the country.
"It’s private property its not owned by the crown. Despite that fact they're using it as the crown's toilet and for some reason or other we've got the lake trustees, who are supposed to hold that land in trust for the owners, not supporting my efforts to clean the lake up and I'm not putting up with it." he says.
Mr Taueki says Muaupoko is one of the poorest tribes in the country, and the lake, which is its major asset, should be a source of pride for its people.
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