Racist undertones in submissions on prospect of land being gifted back to Tauranga iwi

Wednesday, 7 August 2019

The Elms Historical Building had caused a divide in Tauranga (This video was first published in August, 2019).

A regional councillor and mayoral candidate trying to block land being returned to Māori to right an historic injustice says if the transfer goes through Māori couldn't be trusted not to 'demand every piece of land' in her city.

Margaret Murray-Benge says giving 11 Mission Street, in Tauranga, to the Otamataha Trust, who represent Ngāti Tapu and Ngāi Tamarāwaho, should not occur as Māori cannot be trusted to keep their word.

The land was set aside in the 1830s by Māori for missionaries to use for the betterment of their people but it was later sold.

Tauranga City Council had planned to give the land to the Otamataha Trust which would then lease the land to heritage building society, The Elms, at a peppercorn rent of $1 per year for the next 100 years, effectively keeping the existing land user the same.

But Murray-Benge, who is the partner of former ACT and National Party leader Don Brash, says if the transfer goes through Māori would 'demand every piece of land in Tauranga'.

**READ MORE:

Western Bay of Plenty Councillor Margaret Murray-Benge outside the Elms, which she says shouldn't be gifted back to Māori.

* Ihumātao: Police presence increased, then de-escalated at site

* Ihumātao: Police deny carrying firearms at protest after Facebook video outcry

* Ihumātao: Māori King invites mana whenua to meet to find a solution**

'Whatever they say today, you cannot guarantee that it's what's going to be tomorrow,' Benge said.

When Stuff asked who she meant, she replied that 'they' meant 'local Māori'.

Her statement has been labelled as 'outrageous' by Ngai Tamarawaho kaumatua Peri Kohu.

'It's no way to resolve a historic claim,' he said.

'We're working in good faith and she's trying to throw fat on the fire.

'My question to her is what is the difference between a 'Pākehā trust' [owning the section] and a 'Māori Trust'?'

Murray-Benge's words are at odds with a video interview she gave recently to the Bay of Plenty Times where she insisted she is not racist and society needs to work together.

The Elms Historical Building is causing a divide in Tauranga.

'The one thing I've discovered is you can't please everybody, and if you treat them all as equal, then the reality is you can do no more than that,' she said

'If you listen to them, work the way through the issues that confront them, and work together you create a harmonious society,' she said.

'That's what I want. And that's not asking much.'

Murray-Benge is one of 775 submissions to a proposal from Tauranga City Council to gift the land to the Trust, who are its traditional owners.

Of the submissions, 58 per cent were in opposition with negative and divisive undertones prevalent in the submissions.

'Please do not give this ownership and control to any Māori group,' submission 14 reads.

'The whole Bay of Plenty is being given away and it is never enough. The burglaries, rapes, child murders and car theft will continue unabated.'

Submission 96 linked giving the section to Otamataha as 'giving them special privileges' and creating a 'hate group'.

Submission 347 said the proposal was 'fostering racism' and it should be given to the Elms Foundation 'no strings attached'.

Many submissions argued the land was purchased with ratepayer money and should be used for the benefit of ratepayers. However, there was scant argument the land should not be given to the Elms Foundation Trust using the same logic.

The Otamataha Trust said the transfer was about 'mana, not money'.

'Some 35 generations have lived there,' Trust manager Alan Tate said.

'The Trust's objective in becoming the owner is to give its people the dignity to go back there and stand on the land,' he said.

'Otamataha Trust stands to make no financial advantage from becoming the owner. Everyone benefits from this arrangement.'

Tate responded to Murray-Benge's comments by saying it would not be a matter of trust for iwi to keep their word it would be a matter of law.

'There would be a lease arrangement with The Elms and legally enforceable obligations in place,' he said.

Friends of the Elms say the section of land should not be gifted as it was part of 30 acres of land sold to the Christian Mission Society in 1838 for '20 blankets, 10 spades, 10 adzes, 10 axes, 10 hoes and 10 iron pots'.

Evidence presented by scholar Dr Alistair Reese says the land was not sold in the traditional sense but has use rights and the intention of using the land for the betterment of Māori.

Documents from the time uncovered in his investigation reveal the land was, 'acquired and is retained under a solemn trust that it should be applied to the benefit of the Native race and Church and that it should never be bartered or sold for the mere purpose of raising money. The Natives who gave the land for the benefit of themselves and their posterity would have just grounds of complaint against us if we should (use) that land for a Military Settlement.'

After the battle of Gate Pa however four-fifths of the land was gifted to the Crown, who remarked at the Church's generosity, with the remaining one-fifth kept by the church. In 1873 a Mr Brown purchased 17 acres back from CMS for 1,452 pounds and 10 shillings (about $315,000 adjusted for inflation) and established a homestead called The Elms.

Council purchased 11 Mission Street after The Elms failed to raise enough money to do so and agreed in principle to gift the land to the Otamataha Trust but went out for more public submissions following a backlash against the proposal.

A final decision will be made by the council on August 27.