A predictable self-serving tirade by Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell on the passing of New Zealand Mission Trust Board Empowering Bill 2014, a private members Bill which he sponsored.

However, it is almost incomprehensible anybody would want to reclaim a 8000m2 cemetery particularly in the circumstances outlined - looks like a world first.

The brief factual position with Mission Cemetery as distinct from fallacy is the land was purchased along with other land by Church Missionary Society about 1838 from Maori.
This was pre-Treaty and the first burial took place in 1838 (visit NZ History online).
The purchase was not overturned by Governor Hobson, and the Mission land had no association with Kingite uprisings at Gate Pa/Te Ranga other than many of the casualties
were buried there in 1864.

In any event confiscation under NZ Settlements Act 1863 of insurgent's land (after due warning) wasn't implemented until 1866.

Therefore it's completely wrong to infer confiscation applied here and the point needs to be made about 60 per cent of confiscated land was returned shortly afterwards.

Having disposed of that misconception, the more likely incentive is to gain full control of the waterfront hotel land rental.

Will this in future still be used to solely maintain the site, currently a bit of a wilderness?

R Paterson, Matapihi.