In answer to Maureen Anderson (8 June), all supposed remains of pre-Maori settlements in New Zealand have simple more credible explanations.
In 1969 Michael King had a piece of the Ruapuke wreck checked out. It was 100 year old totara not pre-Maori. The Takiroa rock drawings have a boat with sails and a man on a horse not pre-Maori. The Moeraki boulders are too big to be cannon balls. Slag at Le Bons Bay is more likely from Maori cooking fires than ancient Chinese iron smelters. Scientists no longer accept an age of 2000 years for any rat bones.
There is no credible evidence of pre-Maori settlements in New Zealand. Professional historians (Michael King, James Belich) agree that before Maori arrived in New Zealand there was no other race of people settled here.
In answer to Robin Bishop (8 June) Treasury figures show that Treaty settlements cost less than 1% of Government spending for the year 2011. For the previous 17 years Government spending totalled $1000 billion (Treasury), and Treaty settlements totalled $1 billion (OTS). So settlements averaged one tenth of 1% (0.1%) of Government spending per year. Only John Key knows future settlement plans.
Treasury figures show that Treaty settlements are economical, and Maori are not ripping off the taxpayer. The current settlement process has taken 27 years because of a lack of urgency from Governments, not because of repeated spurious claims. The settlement process is dragging on too long but it is not Maori doing the dragging.

Peter Dey, Welcome Bay.