Prince William is here today - there are some amongst us who would prefer he wasn't.
In other news there is this announcement of a Waitangi Tribunal deal coming down the pike
The Waitangi Treaty of course had no legal status before 1975 but since then in an ever accelerating process it has been used to transfer publicly owned assets into the hands of Iwi.
Perhaps this wouldn't matter if this had led to an improvement in the lot of the average Maori, but it hasn't and it wont.
The only result of all of this has been and will continue to be the creation of a hereditary Maori ruling class who everybody Maori and European alike have to touch their forelocks to.
And some of the most vocal opponents of the Monarchy are also amongst the strongest proponents for the development of our indigenous class system.
Which is something I find highly ironic.
In other news there is this announcement of a Waitangi Tribunal deal coming down the pike
The Crown had signed an agreement in principle with Te Hiku Forum, which represented five Far North iwi with a total of 40,000 members, to settle a number of claims lodged over the part 23 years, Radio New Zealand reported.
Along with Maori co-governance of 90 Mile Beach, the Crown had agreed to pay $120 million and transfer the ownership of Aupouri forest and seven Crown-owned farms.
Co-governance of the beach could provide for a possible name change for the area, known as Te Oneroa a Tohe
The Waitangi Treaty of course had no legal status before 1975 but since then in an ever accelerating process it has been used to transfer publicly owned assets into the hands of Iwi.
Perhaps this wouldn't matter if this had led to an improvement in the lot of the average Maori, but it hasn't and it wont.
The only result of all of this has been and will continue to be the creation of a hereditary Maori ruling class who everybody Maori and European alike have to touch their forelocks to.
And some of the most vocal opponents of the Monarchy are also amongst the strongest proponents for the development of our indigenous class system.
Which is something I find highly ironic.
We'll be recognising the Maori Queen long after we have discarded our own. Another irony.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the Waitangi Treaty was an agreement between Maori and the Crown. If we do ditch the Monarchy then we won't be ruled by the Crown and therefore a new Republic wouldn't owe the Maori anything?
ReplyDelete