Call for marae finances to be investigated
A call is being made for an investigation into the finances of Te Tii Marae, following its decision to charge a $1000 fee to media going on to the marae on Waitangi Day.
A call is being made for an investigation into the finances of Te Tii Marae, following its decision to charge a $1000 fee to media going on to the marae on Waitangi Day.
Ngapuhi elder Kingi Taurua, a spokesman for the marae which is across the river from the main Waitangi Treaty Grounds, said this week that the fee went towards the cost of tent hire, toilets, cleaning and other expenses.
Ti Tii marae received about $25,000 of the $141,000 funding the Waitangi Commemorations Committee received from the Government for Waitangi Day events, but Mr Taurua said the marae did not want to use the Government funding this year.
Today, Ngapuhi's David Rankin called for an investigation of the finances of the marae, saying the decision to charge a $1000 fee had been made without the consent of shareholders.
"I am a shareholder of the marae, and none of us was even informed of this 'koha'. Had I known, I would never have approved," Mr Rankin said.
He would like to see records of where the money from last year's Government grant went, as he would like to know where the money had been used. He requested all the financial records of Te Tii Marae be made available by midday on Saturday.
"If I do not receive sufficient evidence of transparency in the marae's financial dealings I will formally ask IRD to investigate the way in which the marae's funding has been appropriated."
NZPA
Fri, 04 Feb 2011
Fri, 04 Feb 2011
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Call for marae finances to be investigated
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