Calculation the Game

But the facts do not accord with this assertion. As far back as the early 1920s the Crown had decided to acquire all the Orakei block, and from then on began examining possible sites for "relocating" the Ngati Whatua of Tamaki. In the mid-1920s it adopted a design scheme for its planned "model suburb" at Orakei, which showed tennis courts and playing fields on the area still occupied by Maoris. Speight makes no comment whatsoever on this point.

Secondly, the Crown was directly responsible for living conditions on the papakainga in that it built the sewer along the beach frontage at Okahu Bay in 1912 (against Maori objections) and persistently refused requests to provide assistance in upgrading the village. The Crown's hypocrisy is clearly apparent here. After being largely responsible for living conditions in the village it then used them as its rationale for demolishing it altogether.

Therefore, the facts show that the Crown wanted the Ngati Whatua of Tamaki out of the Orakei area altogether, callously ignoring the meaning of this land to the Orakei Maoris. The fact that it did not suo ceed in "clearing" the flat until I 950, and then had moved the people into state houses close to the area, had nothing to do with the Crown's generosity. This was the result of strong resistance from the Ngati Whatua against the Crown's plan to acquire their last remaining acres and their total refusal to be "relocated" out of the area.

Speight makes no criticisms of the Crown's actions in this regard, saying that the final eviction was executed in "good faith" and was the "best solution for the benefit of the people". He doesn't bother to comment on the fact that with this eviction the Ngati Whatua of Tamaki lost their Marae, Te Puru O Tamaki, and to this day do not have their own marae.