Colin Holmes

I refer to the last Mayor Talk (Beacon, February 13) in which Whakatāne Mayor Nandor Tanczos based his message on conversation recently held with a Galatea farmer.

The mayor writes that the farmer was unaware that Galatea was settled by the Government “taking” Ngāti Manawa land and “giving” it by way of ballot to returned servicemen.

A ballot from which Māori servicemen were excluded.

The facts are that Ngāti Manawa had very happily leased and later sold the 22,000-acre Galatea block to one Hutton Troutbeck, who had during the initial lease married the chief’s daughter.

It was predominantly very poor land, which Troutbeck developed and, in 1931, Troutbeck’s son sold it to the government as a potential settlement block.

The main settlement exercise was post-World War II when about 150 returned servicemen purchased their farms, which had a very low standard of improvement and for most proved very challenging.

By numbers, it was the largest settlement block post-World War II and the numbers proved to be important in terms of development of a supportive and socially cohesive community.

Māori servicemen were eligible, but there was apparently a policy of trying to encourage them onto Māori land, which obviously was unsuccessful.

I am well aware that in many cases Māori servicemen were disadvantaged on their return, but the reasons were many and complex and, I suggest, not intentional.

So, Mr Tanczos, perhaps 3/10 for accuracy and, as the lead into a rather rambling and pious discourse on mutual respect and harmony, a very poor choice.