Pakeha back with sandy message

Sand "stolen" from Tahunanui Beach has been returned by a group of Nelson Pakeha who took it to protest against the Government's foreshore and seabed legislation.

Despite downpours on Saturday, members of the Being Pakeha group gathered in Montgomery Square with bags of sand to walk over Day's Track to the beach.

Their aim was to honour the Treaty of Waitangi and "support justice and fair process for all New Zealanders", spokeswoman Anne FitzSimon said.

The group's protest began last week when they stole sand as a re-enactment of past land thefts from Maori. The sand was bagged and distributed to outlets around Nelson.

Ms FitzSimon said the walk aimed to raise awareness of the unfairness of the legislation, and taking the sand was timed to coincide with the hikoi from the Far North to Parliament, for which some of the group intend to travel to Wellington.

- NZPA