Council's Mangapurua Road compromise rejected

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 493, 6 July 1993, Page 1

Council's Mangapurua Road compromise rejected

The Mangapurua Road controversy continues, despite attempts by the Ruapehu District Council and the Department of Conservation to strike a compromise. At last week's Waimarino Community Board meeting it was resolved to reject the council's plan to close a further section of the road, and to push for a horse corral and bike parking area to be set up near Slippery Creek, in the Mangapurua Valley. Board member Winstone Oliver told the board the plan to build the corral at Aiselbies Clearing did nothing to help hunters who want access to the valley for their horses and motorbikes. The track from the

valley floor up to the Mangapurua Trig and on to Aiselbies Clearing was too far for hunters to carry a pig, he said. It means more than two hours' walking up a steep hill, so if the road was closed to horses and bikes, access for hunters would be effectively denied. "The public do not want this road closed," said Mr Oliver. He said no one would use a corral built at Aiselbies Clearing because it was too far away, and that it was doubtful there would be water available. Slippery corral In putting his motion (which was passed unanimously by the board) he said the Slippery Creek corral should be built in

consultation with local resident Tom Mowatt and Waimarino Pig Hunting Club president Joe Martin. He said these two men knew the area very well. Mr Martin, invited to speak to the board, said the council should not pay to maintain the track (to a standard capable of carrying horses and bikes). Hunters had maintained the track for over 40 years and were willing to continue to maintain it. Tfie issue also involved a Treaty of Waitangi claim, the board heard. Whanganui Whare Wananga Trust representative Patrick O'Sullivan told the board that a claim on the Waimarino Block had

been lodged, partly because of DoC's denying hunter's access (by horse or bike) to the Mangapurua Valley. The claim revolved around injustices at the time of the purchase of the block in 1886. Waitangi claim Mr O'Sullivan said the Iwi had not before lodged a claim because they believed local Maori (and all people) would be allowed to continue to hunt in the valley. "If a person, Maori or Pakeha, became unemployed they could ride a horse or a bike into the Mangapurua for a day's hunting for food." Mr O'Sullivan said he believed DoC planned to allow commercial operators take hunting parties

into the valley by helicopter - an operation that would be to the detriment of local hunters. He said DoC was offered an opportunity to be trained by the local Iwi to the Maori standard of conservation but that there was now a lot of antagonism towards DoC for ignoring that process. 'The govemment has to tell DoC that they have to come up to, » Maori standard of conservation." Injustice A further resolution was put by Mr Oliver : that the council take all possible action to rectify the injustice done to the Tairoa family, who own a block of land he said was

now cut off by the closure of part of the Mangapurua Road.