Raglan Golf Course

Like the story of the three blind men meeting an elephant, Raglan evokes different descriptions, depending on who is speaking.  For surfers, it's 'Left Hand Beak'.  For the Maori, it's 'Golf Course'.

In WWII, the Crown confiscated land from the Tainui Awhiro for a military airfield.   Part of the terms of the taking entailed that the Crown return the land back to the people once it was no longer used.  Well, the Crown held onto the land for a little longer than the end of the war, not tendering it until 1969.  Furthermore, it only returned part, retaining some of the land for use as a golf course.  The original round of court squabbles resulted in the High Court (rich white people, trained in British Law) validating the Crown's lease to the Raglan Golf Club (rich white people).  In 1978, seventeen protesters were arrested for trespass on the golf course.  The ensuing court battles led to the return of all of the land to the Maori people.

I know my brief description cannot accurately present an issue that a lot of people are very upset about.

More here:

Radio New Zealand page on the Raglan Golf Course, with sound files  of broadcasts on the matter.

Eva Rickard was a prime mover in the series of events that led to the return of the land.