Raetihi Kohanga Reo

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 21, 15 October 1985, Page 2

Raetihi Kohanga Reo

Councillor Bill Pehi of the Raetihi Borough Council says he should not be blamed for disruption to the two Te Kohanga Reo groups in Raetihi. In a letter to the council, the Maori Affairs Department recently requested information about the suitability of the Seddon Street property which is being used as Kohanga Reo by one group. A meeting of the town planning committee, of which Mr Pehi is not a member, reported that theproperty was not up to standard. "Council is not trying to block avenues, but we have to stick closely to the set guidelines — standards are exactly the same for daycare centres, the only difference is Kohanga Reo is bilingual," said Mr Pehi. An application from the other Kohanga Reo group, which previously met at the Raetihi Marae but moved to Islington Street because of differences with other marae members, was declared invalid because the group had now moved to a Pitt Street address, and so would have to make another application to the council.

At a meeting to be held on 20 October at the Raetihi Marae, Mr Pehi and others at the marae are hoping to sort out their differences with the Pitt Street group and ask them to move back into the recently built Kohanga Reo building at the marae. The building has not been completed as Kohanga Reo funds are held by the Pitt Street group.