DEPARTMENT AL APOLOGY TO PORIRUA MAORIS
WELLINGTON, June 9. The Under-Secretary. of Works, Mr. N. E. Hutchings, apologised yesterday to the Maoris of Ngdti Toa at Porirua, tor the action of his departinent in com mencing the construction oi a radio range station in Porirua harbour, thus infringing the traditional Maori fishing rights. Mr. Hutchings told a tribal as sembly that departmental ollicers had commenced the work 'without a trut understanding of the ' situation. Hi asked the tribe to realise the conflict be tween tradition and progress and sug gested that compensation to which it was entitled could be decidcd by the Native Land Court after a conference between the parties concerned. Mr Hutchings explained that the work in hand was the construction of a radio range station for the guidance of aircraft approacliing Wellington and fiat land was essential for the project. The area that had been taken was consider ed the most suitable in the vicinity of Wellington. Five towers approximately 120 feet- high were being erected and a stopbank would be constructed around them enclosihg an area of approximate Iv fifteen aeres. From time immorial the Porirua Maoris have obtained pipis, pupiSs and flounders from the mud flats now required for the. radio-range station.
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Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1947, Page 7
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207DEPARTMENT AL APOLOGY TO PORIRUA MAORIS Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1947, Page 7
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