Law Conference Overlooks Injustice of Tokenism

Mana (Auckland), Volume 2, Issue 1, 6 April 1978, Page 1

Law Conference Overlooks Injustice of Tokenism

■by

Hera Hakaraia

Dr Oliver Sutherland, a member of the group Auckland Committee on Racism and Discrimination, challenged the Law Conference planners at a business session on legal services, on the tokenism of Maori participation.

The conference emblem used was the tokipou tangata — a ceremonial adze — the maori symbol of cheiftainship. There was a maori welcome to open the conference, an entertainment session held at the museum,' Polynesian Experience, and a hangi prepared by Maori Lawyers and Law students. He was also critical that while Overseas visitors had been invited to speak at the business session on human rights, no-one had been invited to speak about human rights in N.Z., and none of the protest groups had been invited to participate at a session on Protest. Dr Sutherland strongly criticized the duty solicitor scheme, although he was careful not to criticize the duty solicitors themselves, as he thought they were overworked, but the scheme obviously was not meeting the needs adequately. The Interpreters or lack of proper interpreters was another area he attacked, citing cases where observers from their group had seen a policeman being used as an interpreter, a defendant for another defendant, and a relative of a defendant, all of whom Dr Sutherland pointed out were highly unsuitable, because they would not be impartial. Betty Wark, a community volunteer worker in Ponsonby, expressed that many of the youth at Arohanui ( hostel for dispossessed youth) found it difficult to approach a lawyer, and that the services of a community group like Ngatamatoa did much to bridge the gap between the community and the legal service. She also supported the work of the Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Law Office, as her personal experience had given her some insight into the services available and felt that this project was filling some of the gaps. Te Ika a Maui group of stage performers from Wellington presented a one act play in the entertainment session — Polynesian

Experience at the Auditorium at the Museum. “Moari Land Court” was written and produced by Rowley Habib, who also performed in the play. Rowley is a well known Maori poet and writer. This high class sequence portrayed a Maori land court scene and gave a soul searing look into one aspect of Maori land confiscation through the lack of the legal system to accomodate maori land rights and values. Te tangi mo te whenua captivated the hearts of young and old, in the audience, and no doubt might have helped Judges and lawyers to understand the Bastion Point issue and The Raglan issue if they were present. It was disappointing to see that this first class show was not well attended by these people. The Wellington performers had travelled at per-

sonal cost especially to perform at this part of the Law Conference, with this special production prepared for an audience of lawyers and judges. They arrived only minutes before they were due to appear on stage and after their performance an Auckland Lawyer who was deeply moved by their play invited them to a reception afterwards, that was being held at the Maori court room in the Museum. However they were humiliated later when a Law Conference official asked them to leave as it turned out that the reception was only extended to those who were invited. At a later meeting with the performers they expressed their humiliation at not being offered refreshments after their performance, after all their efforts in making such a first class play available and for a minimum cost to

the Law Conference, that would not even cover the cost of their travelling fares. Perhaps these two verses read by Selwyn Muru, one of the Maori writers and artists who read poetry at this session also, expresses the frustrations of those Maori people present, and those who are. often processed by the legals system, taken from James Baxter’s book — Autumn.

and I go to the Courtroom, To watch old Gabguts there, Riding with an iron saddle on the backs of the poor and the rich men pay the fuzz, and the fuzz arrest the poor, and it’s nothing new I’m saying

to you, it’s all been said before