Row at refusal to allow Treaty home

The original Treaty of Waitangi.

A Northland elder is considering closing Te Tii Marae on Waitangi Day to protest Archive New Zealand's refusal to send the Treaty of Waitangi home for the opening of the National Museum of Waitangi.

A request made by the Waitangi National Trust to display the country's founding document at the museum's opening exhibitions was declined by Archives New Zealand which said the document was too fragile to subject to the risks of long-distance transport.

The decision has left leaders disappointed.

Ngapuhi kaumatua Kingi Taurua said he would discuss with iwi the possibility of closing the marae in protest, as the document "belonged at Waitangi".

"This is a kick in the face to Ngapuhi. This is the founding document of Ngapuhi and it's like they are saying it is not relevant."

The closure raises the potential for a breach of local tikanga (protocol), as Mr Taurua said visiting dignitaries must be welcomed on to Te Tii Marae on Waitangi Day, before heading to the Waitangi Marae.

He said he would need to discuss the potential issues this would cause, at a hui.

Meanwhile, Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis has argued the transportation of the document should be possible with today's technology.

"It's ridiculous that some archivist is overriding the wish of the hapu and descendants of chiefs to bring the Treaty back to its birthplace of Waitangi - that's its rightful place.

"If you can spend $25 million on a flag change you can spend a couple of dollars on this," he said.

A purpose-built display to house fragile documents like the Treaty will be one of the museum's features.

Waitangi National Trust chairman and NZ First list MP Pita Paraone said it would be airconditioned and secure and he was saddened the Treaty would not be returning home.

"To say I was disappointed would be an understatement," he said.

"Having thought about it since and putting it into context, looking at other artifacts like the Magna Carta - that's been moved around. In this age there has got to be technology to ensure any damage that might occur is minimised."

However, chief archivist Marilyn Little, who has the final decision and is accountable under the Public Records Act 2005, was adamant transporting the document would be too great a risk to take.

"There are special conservation conditions which are needed at all times. Failure to meet these conditions could result in damage during transportation. Another concern is security, which must be assured at all times."

She said this was the first request for a loan of the Treaty since it had come into the care of Archives New Zealand in 1989.