Kia ora

I read the letters from C Humphries and L Askin in January 17 edition of The Weekend Sun with sadness. Both your correspondents had much to say about the Tauranga City Council decision to gift the land at 11 Mission Street to the Otamataha Trust. The decision was described by them as 'irresponsible” and 'legally wrong”, and that it represented a huge sum for ratepayers to lose. A silly link is drawn between the 11 Mission Street gifting and the repair and reopening of the Mount base track alleging that one is a pay-off for the other. Seriously? I honestly I don't know what planet these two are living on.

Firstly the gifting of the land is fiscally neutral as far as ratepayers are concerned. The intention was always to purchase the land for use by the Elms and that is what the end result has been. Council gifts the land to the Otamataha Trust who then lease it to the Elms Trust at a peppercorn lease of $1 a year for 99 years with a right of renewal for another 99 years and the Elms Trust is unrestricted in using the land which I understand includes plans to expand its current operations. With the dramatic rise in visitors to the Elms it has become a million dollar business and that is tribute to the great work undertaken there by a dedicated team of mostly volunteers. I have already volunteered to pay the first two century's lease on behalf of the Elms Trust.

The end result is that mana whenua, the original owners of the land as represented by the Otamataha Trust, are pleased to have their 'mana” – actual ownership of the land – restored and everybody is happy. Except, apparently, for these two.

The transaction is described as preferential treatment to a minority and furthermore apparently explains why there is no money to fix SH2. Fixing SH2 is actually the responsibility of the NZ Transport Authority – a central government agency. Fixing it is not a draw on the ratepayers. It has absolutely nothing to do with the diversion of funds for 'Maori” purposes. C Humphries makes the charge that Maori contribute little to the New Zealand tax system because most Maori tribes are charitable trusts with incomes now in the millions and pay no tax. In the past the pay no tax charge has been levelled at Tainui Group Holdings, one of the largest Maori tribal entities, but subsequent investigation led to that charge (made in the Waikato Times) being withdrawn:

The charitable trust status with its lower tax rate applies not just to some Maori organisations but Pakeha organisations as well. The Seventh Day Adventist church (owners of Sanitarium) is a case in point.

It is alleged that because of this 'status” why should they (Maori) be allowed to make big demands on New Zealand's resources. Presumably the Mission Street gifting is an example of these big demands.

Buddy Mikaere, Judea. (Abridged – editor)