Charges against a Mount Maunganui man accused of setting fire to a pou carving at Gate Pa Reserve without Maori elders' permission have been withdrawn.
Brian George Rikirangi, 53, appeared in Tauranga Magistrate's Court yesterday where his charge of wilful damage and wilful trespass was withdrawn.
Brian Rikirangi during carving of a pou for the 150 Battle of Gate Pa commemorations.
He will now be allowed to complete his portion of the carving.
Greerton Fire Brigade was called to Gate Pa Reserve site about 6pm on Wednesday, April 30, after reports the tree stump closest to the road was on fire.
Rikirangi, a junior carver, was charring off wood in an effort to finish his carving as part of the refurbishment of the memorial site built for the Battle of Gate Pa's 150 year commemorations.
Read more here.
Negotiations are continuing as to when Rikirangi can finish the work.
2 comments
SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on 06-06-2014 09:04 | By Sambo Returns
it was all a bloody waste of time and resources then.
so,
Posted on 06-06-2014 15:13 | By the kurgan
without one grain of evidence, everyone was stumped and the case has been truncated as they were obviously barking up the wrong tree.
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