Maori protesters at Matakana Island accused of 'taking law into own hands'

The Panepane Point end of Matakana Island, just around from the popular jetty used by many Tauranga residents for picnics. Photo/file

A popular Matakana Island wharf near Tauranga has been blocked by piles of debris, with speculation the protest action was linked to a minority group of Maori with land grievances.

Kewpie Harbour Cruises owner Brandon Stone said he was told about the debris piled up at the end of Panepane Wharf last night and witnessed it himself this morning. ''It is pretty disturbing - they are taking the law into their own hands.''

The impassable debris that included rolls of fencing was accompanied by a sign that called the wharf a tribal boundary. Stone said the sign's message was that it was hapu land so "bugger off".

He said Kewpie Cruises had been dropping some passengers at the wharf for years and picking them up on the return to Tauranga.

He said it was not fair to put the blame for the debris on the people on the island. A well-respected island kaumatua apologised to him today for being unable to use the wharf.

Stone said he had not heard of the person whose name appeared on the sign and the Bay of Plenty Times was unable to contact the man or one of his family members today.Efforts to contact island kaumatua were also unsuccessful.

Stone said everybody knew the wharf and foreshore was a public wharf owned by the Western Bay District Council and the tidal zone of the foreshore was the responsibility of Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

He understood the adjoining forested land was in private ownership and was not Maori land.

Stone said everyone had the right to use the wharf and it was a popular picnic spot for Tauranga families.

''We have a right to it and the public has a right to it,'' he said.

Stone said the people of Matakana Island knew this and accepted this. ''We have a great relationship with the people of the island.''

Two weeks ago he was confronted by a woman who he said yelled horrible abuse. ''People that were with her were telling her to stop.''

He believed that the people responsible for the debris did not represent the people of the island who Kewpie regularly took to and from the island.

''We are not blaming the residents at all ... it is some individuals creating chaos.''

Kewpie had operated its cruises for eight years and was currently doing five harbour cruises a day, with an option for passengers to get off at the wharf. However most stayed with the cruise, he said.

''Lots of other people use the wharf.''

Regional Harbourmaster Peter Buell said it was not an issue for the harbourmaster - it was between the folk of Matakana and the Western Bay District Council.

Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber was unable to comment, saying he would be talking to staff tomorrow .

The wharf was towards the Hunters Creek side of the island. The district council was negotiating to transfer ownership of the 200ha block at the southern tip of Matakana, Panepane Point, back to Maori.

The roll-on roll-off barge used to transport logging trucks to and from Matakana Island used the boat ramp closer to the harbour entrance.