By TeKāhu.

The following is a collection of excerpts from historical documents:

“After the marchers arrived in Parliament, around 50 marchers refused to leave at the end of march, they made a tent embassy, on parliament grounds and would not leave until their demands were met.

This action made other marchers and Whina Cooper outraged.

Whina Cooper wanted Matakite to wait patiently and peacefully for a response to the petition and was worried that a split would reduce the chances of achieving the campaign’s demands. In November 1975, the National Party won the election while the tent embassy was still resisting.

On Christmas Eve, while most people were on holiday, Robert Muldoon who was now Prime Minister had the protestors arrested.

He claimed that he had Cooper’s support.

This caused the movement to split, some supported Whina Cooper while others debated that she “sold out” the tent embassy. The split led to the government thinking that the protest was not passionate enough and did not feel the pressure to act upon Matakite’s demands.”

The Daily Examiner has always believed in the following quote by Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin:

“We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.”

And perhaps there is something there for those New Zealanders who stand the post in front of the seat of power tonight.