Wednesday, 19 May 2021, 11:59 am Te Kōtui Reo Taumata, a representative collective of 12 marae across the Manawatū District met at the Ngā Kaitiaki o Ngāti Kauwhata headquarters to make a last-ditch plea to Manawatū District Council Leaders, Mayor Helen Worboys and Deputy Mayor Michael Ford, to reconsider their position on deferring Māori wards until 2022 and to reaffirm their position that now was the time for change. During the hui, Professor Meihana Durie, Spokesperson for Te Kōtui Reo Taumata, made reference to the historic hikoi held last week: “You will have seen the pain, in our people carried during the hikoi. This is an opportunity to make a