Waikato River - Now Privatised

[u4ea]

Yes they are legitamate, but the are not cool when you are told to leave you home and bugger of because you are on 'our land' like the farmer that was on the news a while ago.

..................take my quarter acre that i have worked my ass for and ill leave a hole in the ceiling as well.................................

[Lou Girardin]

At the risk of sounding all left-wing and tree-hugging, the issue here is property rights.

I am sure that if any people here had freehold title to Mount Tarawera, they'd be charging people access fees as well. Access comes at a cost -- even the stuff you "freely" enjoy is largely funded from your taxes through Vote Conservation. Look how much DOC charges people to walk the Milford Track. Access fees for the Abel Tasman National Park aren't far away either, as a means of both restricting access and paying to maintain walking tracks, huts, etc.

If we have learned nothing from nearly 200 years of "colonisation" in New Zealand, we should have learned that people can't be trusted with the environment without regulations. Otherwise they'll happily fuck it up and then moan incessently about how unfair regulations are and how much better things were in the "good old days".

I should also mention that Maori have legitimate grievances for how they were dispossessed of land and their access to waterways by our colonising forefathers. If they have legitimate claims, then they are entitled to a fair settlement. It is that processes that the Waitangi Tribunal is all about.

You do sound left wing and tree hugging.
To my knowledge they have never been denied access to waterways, they just haven't been able to charge us to use it.
As Marty said, Mt Tarawera is the precedent.
The Maoris should thank their lucky stars they weren't colonised by the French. As for redressing grievances of the past, when they do it, so should we.
Or is it only white people who need feel guilty?

[marty]

the other precedent that i have just remembered, is when National Park was returned to the people of (i think) ngati tuwharetoa, they immediately stopped access to the ketetahi hot springs. these were a major attraction to the area, and if you have ever sat in them in the morning, watching the sun coming up after a midnight trek to the top of ngaruhoe, you'll know what i am talking about.

and i used to do a multisport race from ruapehu to wanganui called Mountains to Sea. this was a premiere 3-day multisport race that (i believe) bought spiritual and financial value to the whanganui river valley. that came to an abrupt end however when whanganui maori were 'unable to guarantee the safety of competitors on the river', and the race was cancelled, never to be held again. this was about the time the jet boat/GP boats were blocked from racing on the lower reaches.

here's an intersting river ownership link: http://www.bennion.co.nz/mlr/1999/jun.html

[Lou Girardin]

If this is what we can expect..................
5 or so years ago we went up the Waikato on a mate's jet boat. We slowed near Turangawaiwai and did a circle in the river near their jetty. We were told in no uncertain terms by some losers in the typical hoodie uniform and bag lady look to "fuck off, this is our river".

[Storm]

Ahh, the famed maori hospitality and attitude we hear so much of

[marty]

we used to get that all the time when we kayaked down to ngaruawahia. there are already major safety issues fromm rocks and bottles etc being thrown at bridge to bridge race boats at over 100mph with water skiiers as the pass through there and under the 2 bridges

[marty]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/st...ectid=10384149

something i just read

[popelli]

just found this thread and all the related views on the subject

but the real question is why has there never been a referendum on the treaty of waitangi upon which so many contriversal decisions are being made.

this is a poorly drafted document and it should be put to the people as a properly drafted referendum as to whether or not NZ wants to keep opening a can of worms and giving a select few privilaged people special rights at the expense of the general public or have everybody treated as equal