was brought to the attention of the Crown when it was proposed to close the road through lot 225. This land was vitally important to local Maori as an access point to a pa site, burial ground and their traditional kai moana gathering place. The land was owned by Plummer and the road went along the tidal foreshore of lot 225. The road was also considered vital to locals as the only road leading to the river and deep water landing. The Public Works Department maintained that the road should be closed because of slips along the coastline. Disagreement existed between Plummer, who favoured the road being closed, and his neighbours who wanted it to remain open. A petition from local settlers to stop the road closure was sent to the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Minister passed the letter on to the district engineer for comment and an assessment of the local council’s position regarding the road closure. The petition to stop the road closure was organised by a Pakeha settler, W. McClinchie, and a local Maori leader, Werahiko Borrell. Borrell wrote to Sir Maui Pomare stating:
This is a petition from us that have signed their names hereunder in regard to the road leading to the cemetery at Huharoa, being part of Te Puna block, wherein our ancestors are interred, praying that the Tauranga County Council be prevented from closing same because this road has been in existence for a long time and used as a road to the cemetery of our ancestors.
Secondly, this road runs to the sea shore and gives the Maoris access to the beach to obtain shell-fish upon which the Maoris live. This cemetery is one of the matters submitted to the Confiscated Lands Commission for enquiry with the view of having same reserved as a burial ground for all times.
Wherefore we strongly object to the closing of this road. There is a pakeha growing food on this cemetery, and desecrating the remains of our ancestors. A petition from our European friends to close the said road has been lodged with the Minister. We strongly oppose this very wrong action of the Europeans. Be strong in opposing these wrong deeds of these Europeans.58
Further insult and disregard for human decency was provided by Plummer, who informed the Crown that he had cultivated the area of the burial ground for his vegetable patch and found no evidence of human remains although he did acknowledge that human ‘remains have been found in various parts of his section. ’59
Borrell was highly annoyed with the actions of the Crown. Borrell, by referring to the land as his, was speaking as a Maori on behalf of all Maori to a fellow Maori in the hope that together this wrong against Maoridom could be redressed. His interest in the road closure was based on cultural grounds as he wished to protect the physical integrity of the area which had once been Maori customary land. Borrell’s letter had the Public Works Department inquiring whether he had any personal interest in land, with the presumption being that he owned the adjoining section 224 and was interested in protecting his own interests. This was not the case. His concerns were with the rights of local Maori regarding land in which they had a particular interest: Land which Pakeha, in the process of developing, had damaged with little regard for Maori burial grounds or pa sites. From Borrell’s perspective, Maori association with
58 Werahiko Borrell to Sir Maui Pomare, 7 November 1927, Works (W) 1 35/161 Omokoroa - Te Puna, National Archives (NA) Wellington. A check of petitions to the Sim Commission in the Raupatu Document Bank failed to find a petition which specifically mentioned Huharua, or any urupa.
59 District Engineer to Permanent Head Public Works Department, 15 December 1927, W 1 35/161 Omokoroa - Te Puna, NA Wellington
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