I have been wondering why councillors had suddenly decided to gift the land in Mission Street over to Maori despite the fact Tauranga ratepayers had paid $1.5m for it in a legal sale by the previous owners without firstly council going through the correct legal channels (ie Waitangi Tribunal) to verify the claims that the land had been taken off Maori initially in the past and they had never been paid for it?

It is a huge sum for ratepayers to lose when there are many other urgent things council could have used this money on.

Then shortly after this land had been ‘gifted' over to Maori, suddenly the Mount track was repaired at a far lesser cost than had previously been quoted after it had remained in limbo for a few years with help and blessings from Maori.

Was there a connection between the two? We won't let you repair the Mount track unless you give us the land? Silly me!

L Askin, Bethlehem.