Rock of rages to return

A landscape designer will pay to cart the boulder to the Coromandel, report ALAN PERROTT and JOSIE CLARKE

Gary Bjerring knows all about that nasty space between the rock and a hard place.

The landscape designer has been embroiled in a bitter dispute since appearing in Tuesday's Herald sitting atop a 12.5-tonne quartz boulder.

The rock is the centrepiece of Mr Bjerring's display at the Ellerslie Flower Show.

The photograph raised more than eyebrows among the Ngati Puu hapu of the Maratoto Valley on the Coromandel Peninsula.

It also caught the attention of the Department of Conservation and Environment Waikato.

They all want to know who gave permission for the boulder to be dug up.

Environment Waikato officer Graeme Cooper said the rock might have been removed from the riverbed 18 months ago.

Te Runanga O Ngati Puu spokesman Ted Shaw said they had to take a stand in case people thought the hapu was not taking proper care of its land.

"We are trying to restore this area," he said.

"The Maratoto is a living thing and for more than 150 years its life-force has been damaged. Does it need to be damaged again?"

Mr Bjerring said he first saw the boulder on display at the Waikato Home Show.

It belonged to a friend, Morris Smith, a Coromandel contractor.

Mr Bjerring said he thought the mighty lump of potentially gold-bearing quartz would be ideal for his flower show exhibit.

After he checked with Mr Smith that the boulder was obtained legally, Mr Bjerring asked if he could borrow it for the show.

He now regrets the whole exercise and is desperate to have the issue resolved.

Mr Bjerring and flower show officials met hapu representatives yesterday morning.

He agreed to pay for the boulder's return to Ngati Puu, who will place it at a spot of their choosing.

Transporting the boulder could cost Mr Bjerring $1000.

He also agreed to provide $200 in petrol vouchers to allow hapu members to travel to Auckland to bless the rock, and will write a letter to the Herald expressing his dismay at the incident.

He said Mr Smith had also agreed to give up ownership of the boulder.

"[Ngati Puu] have a valid point so I didn't want to antagonise things," said Mr Bjerring.

"Cultural awareness is something we have all got to take on board. And it is a fantastic rock, very beautiful from all angles.

"I would like to think it will be put in a public place."

Ngati Puu member Mandy Shaw said the hapu was happy with the outcome, but she added that more work was needed to fully resolve the issue.

She said Mr Smith probably owed the designer an apology.

Mr Shaw hopes to meet Mr Smith today to discuss how the boulder was obtained.

A final decision on the rock's future will be made by kaumatua.

Mr Smith was unavailable for comment.