By PAUL YANDALL
Embattled Tainui leader Sir Robert Mahuta was sacked from his tribe's company directorships because of his "intolerable behaviour" and desire to act alone, says an iwi leader.
Kingi Porima, the acting chairman of Tekaumarua, the tribe's executive council, revealed for the first time yesterday the reasons for the sacking.
Mr Porima said the decision was made after Sir Robert, aged 61, insisted on his right to act unilaterally in the wake of the tribe's financial crisis.
"We found it very difficult to work with him. He gave us the understanding that in spite of any decision that we've made as Tekaumarua, he wouldn't necessarily go along with it. This applied to the signing of documents, and we couldn't tolerate his behaviour any longer."
Sir Robert was removed as a director from 10 of Tainui's subsidiary companies last Friday.
In a statement yesterday, Tekaumarua referred to the dumping as a "very difficult decision" that was "made in the best interest of the [tribe's] trustee company to protect the tribal estate and assets from further exposure to risk."
But Mr Porima said Sir Robert still had an important role to play for Tainui.
"He is still the principal negotiator for Tainui claims, he is still the provost for [Tainui's] Endowed College [at Hopuhopu], he will still remain a director of the trustee company, and also [the Maori Queen's] representative on Tekaumarua."
Tainui spokesman Shane Solomon could not be contacted for comment.
