Post by Kiwi Frontline on Dec 5, 2019 14:41:06 GMT 12
Kiwi Frontline 3/12/19
EYEING THE PORT OF AUCKLAND LAND
The facts get in the way of revisionist history (“City port an asset for us all”, 3/12/19). NZ’s Governor Hobson was certainly invited in 1840 to establish a presence in Auckland by Ngāti Whātua chief, Apihai Te Kawau. This strategic move ensured security of his tribe’s land conquests from further inter-tribal warfare. But most importantly, Te Kawau didn’t gift the land – it was sold to the Sovereign, the Queen of England (as per the attached agreement in Maori and English).
Ngāti Whātua has always been commercially oriented. As Auckland’s value rose, the tribe readily sold more to the growing population. Despite this, recent governments have made generous settlements helping the tribe to accumulate about $1.4 billion in high income-earning city assets.
Now all attention has moved to the Port of Auckland (POA) land. Interestingly, the plaque acknowledging the 1840 purchase has been replaced with one thanking Ngāti Whātua for ‘the gift’ of the land. This is not an innocent error and will support the tribe’s claim for the entire Waitemata and they will do well when ‘their gift’ is returned. Let’s hope we can still see the Harbour once the wharfs are covered in apartments.
FIONA MACKENZIE, Whangaparaoa.
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
EYEING THE PORT OF AUCKLAND LAND
The facts get in the way of revisionist history (“City port an asset for us all”, 3/12/19). NZ’s Governor Hobson was certainly invited in 1840 to establish a presence in Auckland by Ngāti Whātua chief, Apihai Te Kawau. This strategic move ensured security of his tribe’s land conquests from further inter-tribal warfare. But most importantly, Te Kawau didn’t gift the land – it was sold to the Sovereign, the Queen of England (as per the attached agreement in Maori and English).
Ngāti Whātua has always been commercially oriented. As Auckland’s value rose, the tribe readily sold more to the growing population. Despite this, recent governments have made generous settlements helping the tribe to accumulate about $1.4 billion in high income-earning city assets.
Now all attention has moved to the Port of Auckland (POA) land. Interestingly, the plaque acknowledging the 1840 purchase has been replaced with one thanking Ngāti Whātua for ‘the gift’ of the land. This is not an innocent error and will support the tribe’s claim for the entire Waitemata and they will do well when ‘their gift’ is returned. Let’s hope we can still see the Harbour once the wharfs are covered in apartments.
FIONA MACKENZIE, Whangaparaoa.
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
