June 27, 2024
Occupation small part of Ngapuhi headache
Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says he won’t rule out meeting a kaumātua occupying a far north island.
The Department of Conservation has ordered 85-year-old Matutaera Clendon to leave Moturua Island north of Matauri Bay after he said he could not wait for the Ngāpuhi treaty settlement to return to his birthplace, which had been taken from his whanau by collusion among central and local government.
Mr Goldsmith says he’s aware of the occupation.
“I don’t think it’s the only thng that is an issue when it comes to the Ngapuhi setlement. There are lots of issues and a range of ideas and diffeent views and so we are workign through that and hoping we can make some progress,” he says.