Old mate sad Whanganui River claim not settled

Archie Taiaroa. Photo / Supplied

The process of settling the Treaty claim to the Whanganui River needs to flow much faster, iwi leaders said yesterday at Sir Archie Taiaroa's tangi.

The 73-year-old Whanganui Maori Trust Board chairman died on Tuesday after suffering a stroke.

Ngati Porou leader Apirana Mahuika was at Ngapuwaiwaha Marae in Taumarunui to pay his respects to his longtime friend.

Mr Mahuika met Sir Archie in the 1980s, when both men were getting their iwi's Treaty claims moving.

But while Ngati Porou is on the cusp of settlement, not enough had been done for Whanganui, Mr Mahuika said.

All these years later, that saddens the Ngati Porou chief, who was at the tangi with other mourners such as Government ministers Georgina te Heuheu and Pita Sharples.

"His [Sir Archie's] dream was to have the river back in the hands of his people. I think the Crown has an obligation of sitting down seriously and positively talking with Whanganui about the river."

There was always the risk that the issue could be put further back on the priorities list than it already was, Mr Mahuika said.

"When you see the river you see Archie, it's a living obituary to him. That's all I want to say about my mate - that and I'll miss him like mad."

Waikato-Tainui has settled its river claim, although many of its provisions are yet to fully come into effect.

Its executive chairman, Tuku Morgan, said Whanganui had asked his tribe to provide technical support for its claim when Sir Archie lay at Turangawaewae Marae. He told them that wouldn't be a problem.

"All the times I've been at the negotiating table with Archie he's always argued for the collective benefit of Maori," Mr Morgan said. "The foreshore and seabed is an example. I think it's time, Whanganui's time."

Maori Land Court Deputy Chief Judge Caren Fox was also at the tangi. In the late 1980s, she was junior legal counsel for the trust board when it took legal action to increase the flow of the river, which is diverted towards the Tongariro hydro scheme.

That case, which lasted six months, remains NZ's longest running court action. It was successful to the extent that the flows were increased, but not to the level the trust board had sought.

Judge Fox said tributes to Sir Archie had highlighted his peacemaking abilities, and she would miss his special humour.

"There was no one funnier than Archie in a situation where emotions are running high. In a room full of Maori, he could cut the atmosphere just with one or two lines to settle things. He was calming. It was a gift."