EDITORIAL: Outcome of trust vote to reach far into future

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

IT IS one year on from the signing of the historic Whanganui River settlement at Ruaka Marae at Ranana - a day of huge significance for local iwi.

Maori progress can be slow and painstaking and, on the surface, it might seem that not much has happened in the past 12 months.

In fact, there is often hectic activity behind the scenes and two stories in today's Chronicle exemplify that.

The Uenuku Charitable Trust has secured a substantial "Yes" vote in its quest to represent central Whanganui iwi in negotiations with the Crown. It is another step along the steep and occasionally treacherous road to a Treaty settlement.

And ballot forms are being posted out as Nga Tangata Tiaki, the body that will provide governance following the Whanganui River settlement, prepares to elect its trustees.

The seven trustees will be, in part, responsible for the health and wellbeing of the river, and for the $110 million Treaty settlement, so the importance of this election is clear - as is the burden of duty that these seven will carry.

It is a ballot that may not catch the attention of the wider Wanganui community, but it is one that is likely to impact on them.

Treaty settlements are somewhat perverse. In an attempt to resolve Maori v Crown issues, they often set up Maori v Maori issues.

The Crown wants big settlements covering large numbers of people that it sometimes groups together in an unsatisfactory way; while Maori inclination is for smaller groups of iwi and hapu to want to negotiate their own deals. The result for the larger groupings is often splits and division among the herded ranks.

Still, today's stories show that while progress may be slow, it is still progress.