Writer blasts powers over river's state

LEILANI HATCH/Manawatu Standard

RUNNING SORE: Malcolm Mulholland puts forward some harsh opinions about the poor state of the Manawatu River in a chapter of his latest book.

The polluted Manawatu River has a history of being neglected by those in power, writes a local researcher in a book to be sold nationally.

Maori and the Environment: Kaitiaki, being launched today in Otaki, has a chapter named The Death of The Manawatu River.

The chapter, written by university researcher and activist Malcolm Mulholland, condemns Horizons Regional Council for not looking after the river and for allowing industry to pour pollution into it.

The chapter also attacks legislation such as the Resource Management Act. It takes readers back to when Maori first interacted with the river, through to the arrival of the first settlers in 1890 and the beginning of the end of the health of the Manawatu River.

"Pollution's not a new thing, neither is the inability of the powers that be to deal with it," Mr Mulholland said. He has been working on the book for about two years with co-editor Racheal Selby.

The rest of the book looks at other environmental issues around New Zealand, and the effect of having Maori involvement in making decisions on how to improve the country's environment.

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