Two trees for Auckland's One Tree Hill

Paul Smith

Auckland City officials are red-faced over the possibility that two trees will be planted on One Tree Hill, known locally as None Tree Hill since the lone pine was axed.

Official Information documents obtained by Kiwiboomers confirm secret negotiations between the Council and the Government. In these, Maori have agreed to overlook the actions of a 19th century Onehunga resident who chopped down the hilltop's totara to build his house. (A historical footnote in the papers quoted him as saying 'it wasn't doing much good just bloody standing there!')

To demonstrate the responsive potential of Auckland as it moves towards becoming New Zealand's first Super City, City Councillors agreed to bury the hatchet over the felling by Maori of the hill's iconic pine tree. The papers show that ACT leader Rodney Hide is to turn the first sod - some opponents noting that this was 'entirely appropriate' since he had already buried Auckland. However other community leaders, speaking anonymously rather than jeopardise their chance of a Super City Council seat, felt he was endangering a delicate process by demanding that the Market should choose the tree.

They also indicate continuing tensions between the Maori Party and ACT. The documents reveal that Maori party co-leader Pita Sharples called for a kauri to be planted alongside any exotic tree to illustrate the city's bi-culturalism. However government negotiators reminded him that 'it hadn't been called One Tree Hill all these years for nothing'. The Maori Party took this as a slight, with Sharples pointing out that hill's name had been Maungakiekie 'eons' before Pakeha arrived.

Regardless of arboreal tensions, Hide will plant his Market Forces pine at dawn today, (ACT says it's not only exotic but evokes memories of rugby legends like 'Pine Tree' Meads and the good old days). Maori Party members plan a series of nation-wide hui before any action to transform the summit from One to Two Tree Hill.

Source: www.kiwiboomers.co.nz

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