President Thomas Jefferson once said, “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone… I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves. And if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.”
Those are wise words. Governments “degenerate” for a variety of reasons. They will often lose touch with the electorate and become arrogant. But here in New Zealand, one of the main causes is our Mixed Member Proportional voting system.
MMP makes it virtually impossible for a single party to govern alone. As a result, mainstream parties are forced into coalitions with minor parties that represent narrow interests and often have extreme views. Yet to the dismay of the public, MMP enables those parties to impose their radical ideas onto the country.
Helen Clark’s Labour Government was forced to coalesce with the radical Greens – as a result, society ended up with the abhorrent anti-smacking law.
In 2008, John Key’s National Party campaigned on abolishing the race-based Maori seats. But after the election it jumped into a bed with the Maori Party, which only exists because it holds race-based seats. Since then, a radical racial agenda, that only has the support of one or two percent of New Zealanders, has been forced onto the country.
It is indeed unfortunate that former Prime Minister Jim Bolger ignored the advice of the 1986 Royal Commission on the Electoral System to abolish the Maori seats, when he introduced MMP. The Commission had argued that candidates with Maori ancestry would be elected more readily into Parliament under MMP’s list seat system, than under First Past the Post. They warned that retaining the Maori seats would lead to an over-representation of Maori MPs.
They were right. Twenty-three percent of MPs in the current Parliament are of Maori descent – compared to the 15 percent Maori population base. If the seven Maori seats were abolished, and re-allocated proportionally, there would still be an over-representation of Maori in Parliament. This clearly demonstrates that the Maori seats are no longer needed and that, irrespective of vested interest views, the time is now right for their abolition.
The list of radical race-based policies that have been imposed on the country as a result of National’s liaison with the Maori Party is growing. They include the decision to fly the Maori sovereignty flag on Waitangi Day, to sign New Zealand up to the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to repeal of Crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed in favour of private tribal title, and a $4 million attempt to impose a new constitution based on the Treaty of Waitangi onto New Zealand.
The two latest race-based Maori Party policies, being proposed by National – to give tribes the power of veto over local councils and to give them control of the country’s fresh water – signal a major constitutional change for local government and for New Zealand. Policies that give superior rights to the members of private tribal businesses, over and above those available to other citizens, are incompatible with the principle of equality that underpins the democratic control of local government.
While neither policy has yet been enacted into law, Maori tribal leaders will be chilling the champagne in anticipation, as each will take them closer to their goal of racial sovereignty.
Although submissions on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill’s Iwi Participation Agreements, giving tribes the power of veto over councils, are now closed, National still has the option of pulling the plug on the Bill – or at least on provisions that provide separate rights based on race.
Meanwhile, submissions on the tribal control of fresh water do not close until April 22nd. However, the public are largely unaware of the proposed change, and since the responsibility for negotiating tribal agreements will be carried out at arms length by Regional Councils and Unitary Authorities – which have the statutory delegation for fresh water management – National expects to avoid any backlash.
That is clever politics.
The reality is that as long as the race-based Maori seats remain in Parliament, the demands by their MPs for special rights and privileges will escalate.
Just last week Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox called for the Maori sovereignty flag to be given the same status as the New Zealand flag and be flown alongside it at the Olympic Games, on government buildings, outside war memorials, and at other official sites around the country.
She claimed, “This is not about separatism, this is about unifying our nation to accept actually that there is more than one predominant culture who lives here. Understanding Maori culture, having empathy towards Maori culture, and adapting some of its tikanga is actually just part of who we are as Kiwis… I think the New Zealand flag right now is separatist.”
Former National leader Don Brash described her call as ‘outrageous’: “I won’t say it’s treasonous but it’s certainly verging on treason to say the tino rangatiratranga flag should have the same status as the New Zealand flag, reflecting the so-called duality of nationhood. I don’t think most New Zealanders will be at all comfortable with the idea that we have two flags as a country, one is a Maori flag and the other is a flag for the ‘rest of us’. The Treaty doesn’t talk about two nations…and Hobson makes the point …we are now one people. It’s a total reversal of what the Treaty of Waitangi implied.”
Marama Fox has also called for the celebration of Guy Fawkes Day on November 5th to be replaced by the recognition of Parihaka Day. In a speech last year about the need for Maori to reposition “into the field of nation-building”, she championed a “peace week”, from 31 October to 5 November, “to honour the heroism and the peace-making heritage established at Parihaka”.
But her repositioned ‘nation-building’ version of history is very different from the traditional accounts – as explained by Mike Butler in his blog, Nursing the Parihaka grudge.
And that’s the problem. Maori separatists are now re-writing history to ‘reposition’ the next generation’s perception of our past. All references to cannibalism are being systematically eliminated from modern records of early history, tribal rebellions are becoming land wars, rebels and murderers are now being called prophets and heroes, and a rosy picture is being painted of a peace-loving people, who were victimised, their lands stolen, by a ruthless colonial government.
It is this revisionist version of history that is now being used in schools to indoctrinate children.
With calls for a national celebration of Parihaka failing to gain traction, advocates saw a new opportunity late last year in a petition to Parliament by a couple of Otorohanga College students.
The 12,000-strong petition of Waimarama Anderson and Leah Bell, which calls for a national day of commemoration for the ‘land wars’ and for the history of those events to be taught at schools, is now being considered by the Maori Affairs Select Committee – and is gaining some support from inside the Beehive.
The Prime Minister isn’t ruling it out a land war commemoration day: “I haven’t said no, I just haven’t seen any advice or any particular recommendations made.”
Labour leader Andrew Little supports the idea saying a proper commemoration is needed “and if we can find space to have a public holiday, I wouldn’t disagree with that either”.
Several of his colleagues have suggested ditching Queen’s Birthday to make way for it – or using anniversary days, which are marked at different times of the year for different provinces.
This week’s NZCPR Guest Commentator, journalist and historian Mike Butler, is very concerned at these developments and believes a “land wars day” would be a misnomer:
“The sporadic armed conflict that accompanied the settlement of New Zealand from 1840 should be regarded as tribal rebellions instead of land wars. Our recorded history remained uncontroversial until the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1985 sparked a new process of spinning history into a tale of woe to justify compensation.
“According to early 20th century historian James Cowan, 2,899 lost their lives lost in the armed conflicts in New Zealand during the 19th century, and this includes Maori on both sides as well as non-Maori. This compares with over 18,000 killed in World War 1, 12,000 killed in World War 2, a total of 71 in the Boer Wars, and 36 in Vietnam. A day to commemorate those who lost their lives in conflict is a memorial day and we already have a memorial day on April 25 each year.
“A ‘tribal rebellions day’ would trap us into a yearly repetition of lies and half-truths that would be drummed into children at school to make them feel guilty. We have already had enough of the other grievance day, at Waitangi every year on February 6.”
In their report on the schoolgirls’ petition, Radio New Zealand explained, “The college is spearheading the bid to get a National Day of Remembrance for those killed in wars between government forces and Maori. They want those who died in the conflicts to be remembered in the same way as those who died in overseas wars.”
Are supporters of the petition angling for “official recognition” in order to justify taxpayer-funded compensation for Maori who died during tribal rebellions?
It seems so.
In a 2014 interview about the Waitangi Tribunal’s Military Veterans Inquiry – which began hearing evidence this week – the co-chairman of the Maori Council, Maanu Paul, explained the he is seeking redress for all veterans – from the Land Wars through to Vietnam. He explained it was not just “physical pain” that was being felt: “There’s been a psychological effect on Maori who were in the Land Wars…” And, it was not just the servicemen who had suffered from the wars, but their whanau as well: “The effects they had on their families and their communities have lasted for generations.”
If this petition to Parliament for recognition of tribal rebellions is really a bid by the ancestors of those who were killed for compensation, the Veterans Inquiry is providing an example of what’s in store.
Veterans themselves are revealing that some claims are filled with fabricated evidence. Others appear opportunistic: “The Claimant seeks the following relief… that the Crown award compensation to appropriately reimburse the Claimant for the prejudice caused by the Crown’s breaches and suffered by the Claimant and the whānau” – for the “diminution of reputation and mana” as a result of feeling “culturally unsafe” and being “overlooked for promotion” during a one year stint in the army in 1968.
The sooner the Waitangi Tribunal – and its gravy train – is abolished the better.
Parliament is now calling for public submissions on the petition for a national day of commemoration for the New Zealand Land Wars. The closing date is 21st April 2016.
But do the 12,000 people who signed the petition represent the views of all New Zealanders?
Keeping in mind the point that Thomas Jefferson was making, that democratic governments can only be held to account by the public speaking out, if you are opposed to a New Zealand Land War commemoration day, then please send in a quick submission to Parliament before the April 21st closing date.
THIS WEEK’S POLL ASKS:
Do you support a new commemoration day to mark the New Zealand land wars?
*Poll comments are posted below.
*All NZCPR poll results can be seen in the Archive.
THIS WEEK’S POLL COMMENTS
| Maori had been killing each other for years. Taranaki Maori killed and virtually exterminated the Moriori. The land wars were mainly the British responding to settlers being killed and their farms and animals destroyed. Do we really want to remember that or do we want to stop dwelling o the past and get on with making our country the best it can be? | Mike |
| Enough of this non-sense is enough. Lets get back to reality. | Bruce |
| Dangerous concept! | Edmund |
| I would also stop commemorating Waitangi Day as well…It has become a farce.. | Don |
| Utter nonsense. | Murray |
| Bloody Hell. What will this group that label themselves as Maori come up with Next !!?? | John |
| Absolute waste of time and the silliest thing I have ever heard. | Craig |
| Maori separatists need to reset their watches to 2016 instead of 1860 but daresay compensation is the goal. How many signatures does it take to set up a citizens-initiated referendum? National should not take any notice of a measly 12,000 but of course John Key is in the business of racial appeasement. | Monica |
| People are saying they are sick of these incessant Maori Claims. Well you are going to be sick for a very long time for the Doctors in Parliament are merely Witch Doctors. There is a cure in one word.. PARTITION. | Brian |
| It is an absolute nonsense. | Jim |
| We already have sufficient grief & grievance with Waitangi Day, thank you very much! | David |
| More twisting of the truth. | Reg |
| Definitely not and get rid of Waitangi day. | Clark |
| Separatist bullshit, advanced by the unscrupulous, for unscrupulous reasons. Why does this Government even listen to this nonsense? … are they not supposed to be “right wing”? | Charles |
| We have a day of remembrance for those who served together to defend our independence. I do not consider that this conflict can be taken in the same context. Should we also commemorate nationally the Ngatapa and Matawhero incidences? As a descendant of a New Zealand Cross recipient and a New Zealander of various ethnic ancestry I feel that while we must acknowledge this conflict in its entirety, to recognize it as a day of remembrance would only serve to divide our memories. | Andrew |
| Greedy ba****rds. | Robert |
| What is there to commemorate? Nothing of any value in my opinion. | Peter |
| More Maori gravy train attempts in the making. | Neil |
| There is no justification for creating a special day to “honour” acts of treasonous rebellion. To do so would engender further racial separatism and support the deluded idea held by some of “bad” colonials doing irrefutable damage to “good” Maori. | Julie |
| More Maori were killed by Hongi Hiku at Totara than all those killed on both sides in all colonial skirmishes. Acknowledge the facts. Maori were a deceptive and brutal bunch pre Colonisation.!! | Mike |
| Stupid. | Barry |
| We should be moving towards positive celebrations not negative, divisive ones. | Kathryn |
| Should maori celebrate the head-hunting and canibalism instead? I think that is a better way of commemorating. Only thing they want out of it is money. | Peter |
| Maybe we should have a “road deaths day” to remember the thousands that have died on new zealand roads. There again, the USA has independence day which is about a bunch of rebels getting their way by force. | Gary |
| We should be putting all this behind us, not bringing it up every year. | Evan |
| No, another attempt at separatism, we are supposed to be one people, I am felling more and more alienated by the select group of our so called brown brothers. | Fraser |
| This attempt is just another tool to infiltrate and undermine the true history of this country. Maori zealots are conjuring up one thing after another to soften us up in order to destroy our culture and our society. They- thanks to bloody National and their dishonest and treasonous leader ( and other parties before them for that matter)–are getting bolder and more radical . Their attempts to rewrite history and their efforts to influence school education are nothing but fascist hallmarks. Look at what happened in Germany in the 1930,s. Some of these Maori leaders must have had a very close look at that and thought: what worked for the NSDAP and Goebbels propaganda Ministerium that is good enough for us to get what we want.Re schools : Just a few days ago I met somebody who have enrolled their little daughter to school and also told us that they are obliged to visit school and see what is happening there. They explained how these little innocents have to do Kapa haka and are showered with Maori words from the word go. When I asked if this is what they want for their little daughter they could only say that this is part of the curriculum and that they have to accept that. SO THERE !!! Parent seem to have no choice and no say in these matters any more. I wonder- by the way- when these Maori extremists force their way into our archives and start destroying documents in order to ‘correct’ NZ’s history. | Michael |
| A very decisive proposition. | Peter |
| The tribal rebellion wars are just a small portion of total NZ lives lost in the pursuit of peaceful coexistence. | Ross |
| Totally separatist, trying to give twisted memories of a division between what should now be (but isn’t) one people. | Ross |
| Because most of the gang members are Maori the Govt does not want to get tough on them because it would be racist. | Arhtur |
| When the word “Maori” is used in a sentence written in English then the correct plural is “Maoris”. The plural when the word “Maori” is used in a sentence written in the Maori language is “Ngamaori”. If someone tells you that there is no letter “s” in the Maori language then ask them to translate the following sentence into the Maori language : “There is no letter ‘s’ in the Maori language”. | K |
| Definitely not. | David |
| Not necessary. | John |
| Here we go again. MMP was a bad day for NZ. | Graeme |
| It is time we had a Royal commission of Inquiry into the True Early History of NZ. | Noel |
| NO, too much Maori BS. | Athol |
| Don’t be so bloody stupid. Remember???? It is still going on. | Wiremu |
| What a load of racist rubbish. There is no mention of the tribes that lived in New Zealand before the Maori arrived, and who then were systematically butchered and cannibalised. | John |
| It should be lumped in with all other celebrations and called New Zealand Day. | Dennis |
| Just another ploy to rewrite NZ’s history, do these people think that maori were the only ones to suffer in these and other conflicts around the world, or do they conveniently forget there were others involved that suffered as well? now these liars are using children that have been indoctrinated with their lies to try to spread their racist views. This is absolutely disgusting, but not surprising, these lowlives will stoop to anything that may help their agenda but using gullible children is lower than low, it makes me feel ill and the teachers in this country are very much to blame for what is happening, they know the history they are teaching our young is a load of shyte, yet they chose to force it down the throats of these innocent minds, these are the people that we entrust to teach our young the truth, but all we get is the Education Departments racist agenda. no way do we want another day like the waitangi farce hanging over our heads. | Stevo |
| White people also died in early times not just Maori who were effectively rebelling & renigging on the signed Treaty. | Nick |
| When will this rubbish stop, what is the point, what is the upside? | Bryan |
| Definitely not! Another blatant attempt to highlight false history and ‘upgrade’ the outcome to represent terrible Maori deprivation at the hands of the ‘pakeha’; thereby deserving of further compensation and a national day to commemorate the events, which will be re-written with a Maori spin. | Frank |
| We must not live in the past but head into the future as one people, not two (Maori & others) as our governments seem to be pushing for. | Eric |
| WHY, for gosh sakes, WHY? GET REAL! | MABEL |
| That would commemorate the MURDER of innocent early settlers who were entitled to believe the lands they purchased from Maori and/or the colonial government were legal who received no compensation. Surely their descendants would also be entitled to compensation from the Maori separatists. | John |
| No for sure, why remember tribal squables, we already have a day for that which was supposed to stop the maori rot,??. yes waitangiwai was and is a flop as the rot carries on. | James |
| Enough already! | Bruce |
| Definitely no support what so ever. We don’t need indoctrinating about land war grievances. Leave well alone at least what we know now is the truth of years past. Maori here again are trying to rewrite the history books for their own advantage. We have Waitangi Day that’s quite enough what a rort that is every year.. Abolish Maori seats in parliament. The wealthy Iwi should put there hands in their pockets and pay up for the Maori Land rates $64 million that is owed in rates to the Councils. What if we all decided to “Not To Pay”.????? Wake up National the tide will be turning in the next election and then the country will really be in die straits if Labour get in. Say a definite no to all these Maori Tribal Claims. | Suzanne |
| We already have a day of commemoration to remember all who have died in combat. | Jan |
| Maori are free to celebrate whatever they want but certainly not to insist that a special commemorative day be set aside and imposed on the 84 % of non Maori. This arrogant, greedy and demanding attitude of Maori has to stop and John Key’s government must cease their pandering to them and say NO! NO! NO! | William |
| Just another brick in the wall that is in the process of being built to separate the races living in New Zealand. There will be hell to pay if this is not stopped. | Tony |
| No, No, No, There was no NZ Land Wars, but rather skirmishes against authority, and therefore certainly not to be celebrated. | Lorna |
| Surely we must move on and become integrated we can’t change history. | Laurel |
| Why celebrate death and destruction instead search for ways to solve the problem and that does not mean more payouts through the tribunal Claims. It is like the builder who built my home in 1955 for the sum of 3,348 pounds coming back to me today and saying your home is now worth $178,000.oo so I want the rest of my money, well we paid the price at the time of purchase not the price that it is today likewise the land purchased in the 1840’s was purchased at the price then not at todays prices. So no there should be no celebrations regarding land wars or any other significant land transactions. Wars. | Carol |
| The NEW ZEALAND land wars is a very sad part of our history and to commemorate it will open up old wounds and stir up hate and trouble for every one. | Theodorus |
| How silly can we get??? | Roderick |
| Lets move on from the stone age and get on with all being New Zealanders. Before it is too late. | Ross |
| My family arrived in New plymouth early 1841 and remained scared to death through this period of so called land wars. One branch was murdered by native rebels. We don’t really need reminders do we ? | Mike |
| More opportunism, more historical lies, more taxpayer’s money. Enough is enough! | Keith |
| Causes division. | Bill |
| They were hardly a war, being largely confined to specific Maori groups more like skirmishes. | Malcolm |
| Regarding the Maori sovereignty flag what flag was raised by Maori when they first arrived in New Zealand? And how much has Maori culture been changed and modified to suit modern day circumstances? | John |
| Where do these stupid ideas come from? Let’s go forward, not backwards. | Karl |
| Negative vibes. | Mike |
| It is still going on. | Frank |
| Yet another proposal based on a misrepresentation of historical facts. | Kenneth |
| Let it rest. | John |
| Dr Newman has said it all. | Russell |
| A biased action by maori for their own gain. | Peter |
| Tell it the way it was…they were rebellions by tribalistic, cannibalistic, stone-age savages whereby colonising was their survival salvation. | Tony |
| Maoris were fighting on both sides – for and against the Government. Which ones are we supposed to commemorate? | Mitch |
| Another effort to put the guilts on non-maori by a group of people who have only a minimal percentage of Maori in their history. Thet are predominantly european. | John |
| IT IS RIDICULOUS. | Michael |
| A New Zealand Day based on truth, yes. A day to ensure that the gravy train dose not slow down for the greedy 1per-cent {land war grievance based on re-written history} NO WAY. When will this disgusting National Government grow a back-bone.. | A.G.R. |
| We are all completely sick of this Maori “garbage” being continually foisted on New Zealanders! It’s about time this Government sorted frivolous demands out! | Michael |
| Definitely not needed. Anzac Day includes all fallen in all wars – we DO NOT need another [racist] holiday. | Elayne |
| An appalling idea to celebrate a rebellious uprising especially in society as it is today. What sort of message are we giving to our young people? | Adrienne |
| I cannot see any reason for placing ‘commemoration’ and ‘land wars’ in the same sentence. Oxymoron? | Bruce |
| Anzac day commemorates all wars NZ has been involved with. | Barry |
| And forget “Land Wars”! Tribal rebellion was what it was, plain and simple. | Helen |
| Absolutely not. We need to see education based on reality & truth, not the lies and distortions of those who are seeking to divide our society by fraudulent means. | John |
| As usual a trumped load of old rope, conjured up by overpaid, semi-educated maori, wishing to create another group which would be a non-taxpaying “trust” giving some more of their mates a cushy job. | Denis |
| Why would we want to. | Peter |
| No more racist gravy-train! | Mike |
| I think Maori have screwed enough money out of Government ( which is ME as it is all from MY taxation) and should not be given the opportunity to screw more. NZ First looks pretty attractive at this time . . . | MervB |
| We have a perfectly good day of remembrance – ANZAC Day and we certainly do not need tribal rebellions to be given special treatment in our educational curriculum. | Michael |
| It ‘s a nonsense !! | David |
| There were no “Land Wars”. | Harry |
| Just too stupid to contemplate. | Louise |
| Forget them! | Richard |
| Absolute nonsense. | David |
| More racial nonsense we don’t need. | IAN |
| Move on – one nation of diverse people. | Doug |
| We could have another land war if they want to start it. Bring it on and settle this bs once and for all. | Russ |
| Enough of this nonsense. What is required to rid this country of the Waitangi Tribunal? Seems this is the first place to start if we are to end this ever increasing momentum to radicalise New Zealand into two states. | Chris |
| Just more nonsense. | Robin |
| We have too many days now, combine it with Anzac Day. | Richard |
| No for goodness sake we have just had the inclusion of Waitangi Day and Anzac Day transferred to a week day if it falls on a weekend…economically NZ cannot afford to FIND more days to have off, we could probably find one for EVERY day of the year if we wanted to, like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, international day, Gay day, grandmothers day etc etc…lets get this economy going not just keeping thinking of how much time we an get off people…lets not become a nation of self-interested lazy people. | Audrey |
| There has already been for too much distortion of NZ history and if passed this Bill will only exacerbate non truthful additions to the record. | John |
| They were seditious rebels and they and their desendends should all be hung, drawn and quarter as per British law of the day. | Terry |
| Definitely not! Such an annual commemoration event would just become another truckload of ammunition for the Waitangi Tribunal driven grievance industry. We are all New Zealanders and we should look forward, not back, and refuse to allow the corrupted, 20th century interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi to continue dividing us along racial lines. | Les |
| Rewriting of history! | Henry |
| Ancient History. Move on. One country , One people,, One set of rules for all. | Don |
| Definitely NO to the proposed commemoration day. Every New Zealander who cares about freedom and who wants to regain lost freedoms should read, ONE TREATY, ONE NATION by eight authors who know their subjects well. Also, New Zealand should exit the United Nations that would severe our links to their 2030 AGENDA, global slavery in 15 years, just as Britain must exit the E.U. | Don |
| The outcome of that hardly bears thinking about. | Beverley |
| Absolutely not. I don’t want another day where radical Maoris can rewrite history and come up with more excuses for further compensation from the rest of us. | Colin |
| They weren’t land wars. Another whining gravy train | Carolyn |
| This is madness. For goodness sake put a stop to this rubbish. | Ann |
| These were not strictly land wars, but at least partly fought for the survival of the fledgling colony. The lasting hurt caused by these wars is probably minor when compared to the major social disruption and loss of (perhaps 30,000) Maori lives during the Musket Wars. | Richmond |
| Let’s get some balance. How about a day to commemorate these atrocities? Boyd massacre The Boyd Massacre occurred in December 1809 when Maori residents of Whangaroa Harbour in northern New Zealand killed and ate between 66 and 70 Europeans. This is the highest number of Europeans killed by Maori in a single event, and the incident is also one of the bloodiest instances of cannibalism on record. The massacre is thought to have been in revenge for the whipping of a young Maori chief by the crew of the sailing ship Boyd. The victims were the passengers and crew. Te Rauparaha’s massacres Just 12 years before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 Te Rauparaha first appeared in the nightmares of southern Maoridom. After participation in the musket wars in the north, he had taken Kapiti Island (offshore of the lower North Island’s Paraparaumu Beach) as his base and now looked towards the South Island. Those atrocities, with all the death, enslavement and cannibalism that befell the tens of thousands of victims of such bloodshed, included: -Te Rauparaha attacked and annihilated the tribes of Nelson and northern Marlborough -In 1828, he sacked the Ngati Kura pa at Kaikoura, killing 1000 and enslaving hundreds; then destroying the Omihi pa further south -In 1829, using subterfuge, he attacked Ngaio Tahu’s Kaiapoi pa (just north of present-day Christchurch) but was eventually beaten off. He was back in November, 1830, secreting his men aboard the vessel Elizabeth under the connivance of Captain John Stewart at Akaroa. -In 1831, he returned to the Kaiapoi pa with 800 men and laid siege for several months before it fell – Next was the pa on Onawe Peninsula, Akaroa Harbour, which Te Rauparaha overwhelmed with another ploy. Te Kooti’s massacres Spiritual leader Te Kooti returned to New Zealand after two years of internment on the Chatham Islands, from where he had escaped with almost 200 Maori prisoners of war and their families. The pursuit turned into a four-year guerrilla war, involving more than 30 expeditions by colonial and Maori troops against Te Kooti’s dwindling number of warriors. Te Kooti went on the offensive from November 1868, starting with the so-called Poverty Bay massacre, of European settlers and Maori opponents in the Matawhero district, in which 51 men, women and children were slaughtered and their homes set alight. There were many other murders over subsequent years. | Paul |
| It is bad history | David |
| We can’t even make Waitangi day work as NZ wide day of celebration for our sovereingty. What hope for another day other than protest and disaster.? | Graham |
| Although of British descent, I also do not expect a Battle of Hastings day or a Battle of Waterloo day to be proposed. | Alan |
| Too much Maori indoctrination already. | Roy |
| Ridiculous, Maori’s claiming more and more rights. | Edward |
| I believe that it would be used to get compensation. | Anthony |
| Under no circumstances. | Allan |
| “We are now one people” has become a farce. | William |
| Absolutely not, a campaign to abolish Waitangi Day to New Zealand day would be a help, agree with abolishing celebrating Guy Fawkes in NZ, he was a terrorist. | Robert |
| I agree it would just be another grievance day. | Murray |
| Definitely not. It is high time we forgot about these events and concentrated on making NZ a country where all citizens were equal. | Peter |
| Why shoud we commemorate an internal conflict – it devalues the sacrifice of those earlier generations who went to WWI, WWII , Japan, Korea, Malayan Emergency, Confrontation, and the various “peace keeping” and “peace enforcement” operations which have followed. | Andrew |
| We’re listening to a pair of brainwashed, probably minutely Maori, schoolgirls???? This is really concerning. Time to abolish the treaty (it’s not the original), abolish the rascist waitangi tribunal, abolish the racist Maori seats, and STOP the indoctrination of our kids with lies and distorted history. The Maori “culture” of cannibulism, slavery, and aggression was horrible, should be written to history, then put away in the country’s archives! How can we wake up an apathetic public to what is happening? | Carolyn |
| It just brings another division into NZ ‘s multi culture. Again favouring Maori’s. | Barbara |
| Just replace Guy Fawkes day with Parihaka Day. Same day, a day of both shame and pride. | Rochelle |
| The events do not warrant such commemoration, and will encourage further decent. | Michael |
| It is another brick in a NZ Berlin Wall that leads to division and a fictitious ideology. | Peter |
| This could never be a celebration. Some Maori land was legally sold to the Crown at a fair price at the time. Now claims are being lodged to take it back again or be compensated on today’s values. We do not need to be reminded of the savagery of those days, when innocent families who’d paid for their land before moving half way across the world were killed. This is verified by writings from those who survived. | Cecelia |
| MY GOD! How many holidays do we need! Do the people demanding more money for education, more money for health, more money for welfare etc etc ever stop to think how much revenue is lost every day the country stops!? | Andy |
| Why would I want that ? | Kelvin |
| What we do need is a national referendum for a true New Zealand Day to replace Waitangi. | Al |
| This is apartheid by stealth. | Peter |
| It is just another divisive ploy we do not need. | Patricia |
| Had a gutsfull of Maori wanting everything race based in their favour. | Graeme |
| We need to emphasise that we kiwis are all citizens of NZ. We make the Laws of NZ to improve our way of life here and now. It would be a backward step to try tolegislate for every splinter group in our NZ population. | Ted |
| For what purpose? | Carolyn |
| Such a commemoration would not recognise BOTH sides of the conflict, only the Maori side. | Huria |
| Enough is enough.. maori are never happy. The sooner the race is gone the better…. | Billy |
| This conveniently renamed piece of history would bring even more grief and division than the now degraded Waitangi day’ celebration’. Stop this grievance train in it’s tracks!!! | Marie |
| Such a day with all the inaccurate hype that will surround it will continue to promote a totally dishonest history of NZ. | Lyn |
| We must not allow any more racial indoctrination that supports the wrongs that are now being used in our schools and I presume are being given to our new immigrants. | Bryan |
| Best forgotten. | John |
| I do not support this commemoration day. | Peter |
| No real benefit. | Jim |
| …again and again the ‘iwi’ are dictating the rewrting of NZ history…Thanks Mike your thoughts are 100% correct…Roll on the Republic of NZ after the demise of the present Queen of England and all New Zealanders can move on” to a true future path of democracy/freedom and wealth for us ALL……!!!! | Christopher |
| We want nothing based on revised history. It is time we looked forward not back. It seems the only person who supports the true interpretation of the treaty of Waitangi in Parliament is Winston Peters. Maori ceded sovereignty.. | Irene |
| Another ‘holiday’ will lead to yet more ‘benefit’ demands. The country’s financial debt is steadily increasing – the money branches will further break off and the tree will die – just look at Europe, Africa USA, Russia etc! | Stuart |
| The country already has a day to remember those who fought and died, its called Anzac Day. Oh, but I forget,, Maori who fought and died, are a different type of DEAD . Give me a break!!!! | Barry |
| It doesn’t stop does it. Totally sick of spurious Maori claims and constantly re-writing history and in the process brainwashing all the gullible young people and all immigrants. A definite NO to a so called land war commemoratios day. Scrap the Treaty and Tribunal. | Mike |
| www.skeletons in the cup board www.tangatawhenua16.wix.com Get a grip on this nonsense. | Rodney |
| Another day off work? Whatever next? A nonsense idea! | Ron |
| Very definitely NO. | David |
| If they wish to commemorate the land wars, it cancels the Treaty. | Peter |
| Totally absurd. | Chris |
| Ridiculous as are many of the Grievance matters. | David |
| This would simply become another day of angst and protest, just like Waitangi Day. | William |
| No, no, no! This should never happen. | Kerin |
| No to separatism. | Ron |
| What’s going to be next ? Celebrating the arrival of the Canoes Day?. Most of these type suggestions are just separatism under the guise of commemoration. Get over it. | John |
| More people have died on NZ road since 2000. Should we then have a ‘Road Killed Day’. | Ashley |
| What garbage. | Derek |
| We shouldn’t be commemorating the NZ Land Wars. However there could be a commemoration of those who died in the land wars, both Maori and Pakeha. | Graham |
| We already have waitangi day and Anzac day. Give us a break! | Willy |
| ———————————-no no no | Robert |
| It’s incredible to read so many lies and distortions that are now being made about our history. This will just lead to ever more of these. A thoroughly stupid idea! | Roger |
| Perhaps a day should be to recognise Maori cannibalism with formal recognition of Te Rauparaha as the greatest NZ murderer, enslaver and cannibal. Even Porirua City decided to name a building after him to recognise his exploits. | Neil |
| We do not need this day, it is time the main press started to print, what is here for us to read. | Geoff |
| Simply not warranted and as divisive as Waitangi Day has become. It promotes an incorrect version of historical fact. | Ian |
| ANZAC days covers all wars involving New Zealanders. | Murray |
| For such a small country how can a small minority have such a pull on the Govt get utterly sick and tried of this carry on that just goes on and on after all they arrived on a boat just the same as the rest of us. | Russell |
| Why not a peace day why war. A new commemoration day to mark that we are all N.Zers maybe but not the land wars. | Cherryl |
| Racism. | Peter |
| Totally unnecessary and dishonest. | Rog |
| No – it is merely another ploy by the indolent, brown, parasitic minority to extract yet more wealth from the industrious majority in NZ. | Scott |
| Let’s face it: there were no “New Zealand land wars”, but merely a series of insurgencies by Maori who, having signed the Treaty of Waitangi, decided that they didn’t like to be treated the same as everyone else, after all. In other words, they wanted the benefits of British citizenship (especially with regard to protection from each other), but they also wanted special, quasi-independent status as the natives of this country. In other words, they wanted their cake and to eat it too – plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose. Yes, let’s eliminate this historical revisionism: destroy it, root and branch. We ought to start with the farce that’s called the Waitangi Tribunal, and then move on to remove the welter of race-based laws and regulations that now poison our supposedly egalitarian society. Finally, let’s not forget that New Zealand is now truly a mulicultural society, and that Maori are no longer ‘special’ people, to be treated with delicacy and reverence because of their minority status. | Graham |
| Another day off for employers to cope with financially. Incorporate it into Anzac day if necessary, ir Waitangi day. | Julianne |
| This country neds to continue to look forwards not backwards. Waitangi Day brings enough grief and achieves nothing. This would do the same. | Diana |
| Another step towards the gravy train. It is never ending. | Jim |
| Ridiculous. I have never voted National, but if its leader suddenly grew a pair and abolished all the political racist rules he has been responsible for along with the Maori seats and the myriad of Maori privileges, I would vote for them. | Liz |
| I consider Waitangi Day to be sufficient. | Margaret |
| It’s nonsense. | Clinton |
| Totally misrepresenting history. | Tony |
| Remember the soldiers at Opepe, killed in their sleep.. | Chris |
| I agree, another attempt to re-write history. | Ronald |
| I am disgusted by this suggestion – if it goes through the next thing will be claims for compensation for damage caused in the Maori rebellions in the 1860’s | Wah |
| I do not support such a day. As I have read history the British troops stood between Maori tribes to avoid further tribal warfare | Allan |
| We need a day other than treaty to be nz national day , but nothing to do with maori otherwise they ill highjack it | Colin |
| I fear that with so many claims for more avenues to access payments that it will end in conflict.Weren’t we silly to believe that when all the claims for compensation were settled we could get on with life. | Douglas |
| We have enough holidays. | Graeme |
| This will be another Waitangi day where it degerates to a non Maori guilt trip. | Graeme |
| Racism again. | Greg |
| Anyone who looks back over their ancestry will no doubt find a mixture of victims and oppressors. I prefer to live in the 21st century thinking about what we can do better for the future. | Ken |
| More decisive legislation | Brian |
| Why think of celebrating something which is still going on one way or another. | Beryl |
| Another divisive Maori proposition – lets joint together as a nation, not continue down a path of discord and ‘separatism.’ | Hylton |
| Commemoration day is fine as long as it does not overshadow Anzac Day. | Richmond |
| A load of hogwash. | Tim |
| Remembering a civil war tends to reopen old wounds and adds grist to the mill for people who want to constantly reinvigorate divisive issues of the past. The American civil war remains a bone of contention to this day in some parts of the south. After a civil war it’s better to shake hands (however reluctantly), look to the future and move on. | Barend |
| I can’t think of anything worse than having to honour those who engaged in acts of treason against the government. | Bernard |
| This is a dreadful idea, yet the PC brigade will probably support it! | John |
| No, no, no – we have had enough of looking backwards. It’s time we embraced the future as one people. | Wendy |
| We do not need another grievance day. Nor do we need the Waitangi Tribunal nor the Maori seats. | Michael |
| Those two girls are being used. | Andrew |