Aucklanders were the Herald's original pick for coping with the water crisis, but Tainui treaty negotiator Sir Robert Mahuta gets the award in hindsight. (NZ Herald Archive)
Aucklanders were the Herald's original pick for coping with the water crisis, but Tainui treaty negotiator Sir Robert Mahuta gets the award in hindsight. (NZ Herald Archive)
Aucklanders were collectively our New Zealanders of the Year for the stoic goodwill they showed in coping with the great water crisis of 1994.
As the dams dried up during a prolonged drought there were real fears for the health of the people as well as the city's economic wellbeing.
The immediate solution was to save water and Aucklanders set about doing just that with a devotion that exceeded all expectations.
"Their daily routines were dominated by the need to save water," wrote Herald local body reporter, Philip English in his tribute to fellow citizens.
In June the city's mayors had called for 25 per cent savings to prevent the need for standpipes in the street and the people responded by savings that peaked at 28.5 per cent in July.
Sir Robert Mahuta. (Derek Flynn, NZ Herald Archive)
In the final settlement that followed the Crown acknowledged the invasion and subsequent land confiscations were grave injustices in breach of the Treaty. The settlement included an apology and cash and land to the value of $170 million.
Most of the credit went to Tainui's chief negotiator, Robert Mahuta, now our New Zealander of the Year. He follows in the footsteps of Tamihana (1863), Rewi (1864), Tawhiao (1884), and Ngata and Pomare (1926).
