Were the raids carried out by armed police in recent days justified?

Were raids carried out by armed police in recent days justified? From what we have been told so far, probably yes!

You would expect the victims of such raids to maintain their innocence. Tame Iti's general behaviour has long suggested he could well be involved in anti- social activities. The others involved have been closed books as far as our society has been concerned; the books are about to be opened, so to speak.

In my opinion you have to look at the thought processes of people from his area. The Tuhoe claim they are an independent nation, which is a load of unadlterated crap. There is only one nation - the New Zealand nation, and Tuhoe are part of that nation. So therefore some Tuhoe behaviour could be construed as bordering on treason against the New Zealand state. Such treason is punishable by a life sentence in prison - the death penalty existed until recently.

Some of the attitudes of many Maori in general should be considered to be of some concern too.

These Maori need to grow up and realise they live in the 21st century and not in the times of their ancestors who may well have been treated badly by the British authorities and settlers of the times. We have the Waitangi Tribunal to take care of disputed land.

Maori need to realise that they too, are descendants of immigrants,in their case from East Polynesia - they were the first human residents in New Zealand from the mid 13th century onwards. Maori are therefore not indigenous, but New Zealand's first people.

But having said all this, I expect some "real evidence" to be produced by police prosecutors at coming court hearings.I await this evidence with bated breath.