Misleading headlines

Pakeha group make land claim in the Herald this morning. The implication of the headline is that the claim has something to do with the Treaty. In fact, it has nothing whatsoever to do with it; instead, its an ordinary claim under the Public Works Act to have land taken for a public purpose and no longer used for that purpose returned to the descendants of the original owners. In 1958, waterfront land in Te Atatu was taken by the Auckland Harbour Board for a port. The port was never built, and the land was eventually handed to the Waitakere City Council. According to the Public Works Act, the land should have been handed back (and handed back years ago, at that) - regardless of the race of the claimants.