Mormon college to close

The closure of Hamilton's Church College is a blow to the 24,000 Maori Mormans in New Zealand.

Utah-based elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints said the 700-student private high school will close by 2009, and the resources will be reallocated to teaching programmes in Africa and Eastern Europe.

Anthony Wilson. the church's national public affairs director, says Maori have made up a significant part of the school community since it opened in 1958.

BOP IWI ADDRESS FAMILY VIOLENCE

Iwi are coming together in the Western Bay of Plenty to work on strategies to curb family violence.

Rahera Ohia from Ngati Pukenga says while the hui at Maungatapu marae in Tauranga tomorrow has been planned for three months, the national focus on the issue in the wake of the Kaahui killings has added impetus to the kaupapa.

Representatives of Ngaiterangi, Ngati Ranginui, Ngati Pukenga and the Tauranga Maori police liason roopu, be involved.

Ms Ohia says while many whanau don't have the traditional support networks, more could be done to recognise signs of a family having problems.

She says people mistakenly think the problems are so big there is nothing they can do.

MATARIKI FOR WELLINGTON

Katchafire, the Maori Volcanics and Whirimako Black are among the top entertainers seeing in the Maori new year tomorrow at Waitangi Park on the Wellington waterfront..

Celebration organiser Wharehoka Wano says the Wellington City Council-sponsored event is a chance for Maori and non Maori to get into the spirit of Matariki.

WHANGANUI RANGATIRA DIES

Whanganui iwi are today mouring the loss of one of their rangatira, Manu Metekingi, who died this week.

Mr Metekingi, from Atihauni a Paparangi, Ngati Apa, Te Atiawa and Ngati Hauiti, was well known for his involvement in community issues in the region, and as a spokesman for the Putiki pa.

His funeral is tomorrow morning at Putiki Marae.


ITI UNREPENTANT ABOUT GUN CONVICTION

Tuhoe activist Tame Iti says he isn't taking his conviction for arms offences personally.

In a reserved judgment released in Rotorua District today, Judge Chris McGuire found Iti guilty of two charges of unlawfully posessing a firearm at Ruatoki in January last year, and fined him $300 on each charge.

Iti fired the shotgun during a welcome for the Waitangi Tribunal which was to hear Tuhoe claims.

Iti says his action was in line with Tuhoe tradition and tikanga, and the court had no right to say what he can do on his marae.

Tame Iti says camera crews aren't welcome at his future protests.


MAORI COUNCIL C0ONSIDERS CLAIM CLAIM

The Maori Council is considering a claim against the claim settlement process.

Spokesperson Maanu Paul says questions of iwi governance should be the sole business of Maori.

He says the mandating requirements imposed by the Office of Treaty Settlements are destabilising to iwi.

NOXIOUS ASSIMILIATIONIST BILL DEFEATED

Labour list MP Shane Jones says National's support for Rodney Hide's Anti-discrimination Bill is a taste of things to come if the party leads a future government.

The bill, which failed to get past the introduction stage this week, would have removed the government's exemption under the Human Rights Act.

Mr Jones says that means the government would could not offer targeted programmes for specific groups like Maori.

He says ACT and National will continue to pursue assimilationist policies.

"The reality is the size of the Maori population is growing. We have a huge number of Pacific Islanders now living in Aotearoa, some residents, some citizens, and there is a growing number of other ethnic minoriti coming to our community, so the future of Aotearoa is plurality, the future of Aotearoa is diversity," Jones said.