Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Damage to cone sites irreversible, says iwi

Updated at 2:49 pm on 29 July 2010

The iwi group Ngati Whatua O Orakei is horrified that council contractors have irreversibly damaged archeological sites on several volcanic cones in Auckland.

It says Auckland City Council did not consult any iwi before carrying out "destructive" work on Mt Wellington, Hobson, Albert and Mt St John.

Spokesperson Ngarimu Blair says he was horrified by what he found at Mt Wellington.

Mr Blair says it looks as though a bulldozer has cut through the site where some of the iwi's people are buried.

He says much of the damage is irreversible and the work should have been done by hand.

The council says the contractor has been told to stop.

Arts, culture and recreation committee chairman Greg Moyle says the council takes full responsibility for what has happened, though he was aware of damage only on Mt Wellington.

He expects a full report on how and why such a lapse occurred.

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