Ngaruawahia locals are calling for the Māori King to intervene after allegations of misspending made by his former advisor Tukoroirangi Morgan.
Tina Tonga and Te Moana Tonga are staunch supporters of the Kīngitanga. Photo: RNZ/John Boynton
Mr Morgan yesterday penned a scathing letter to King Tūheitia about financial misspending by his right-hand man Rangi Whakaruru.
In the letter, Mr Morgan said King Tūheitia was seen as a "puppet" with the strings being pulled by Mr Whakaruru.
Mr Morgan claimed Mr Whakaruru had a $250,000 salary, and had taken out big loans and drove expensive cars.
He said more than $100,000 had been spent on perfume, beauty treatments and clothes - all paid for by the King's trust.
This was despairing because it was destroying the credibility of Kīngitanga, he said.
The Serious Fraud Office was currently investigating the Ururangi Trust, a charitable trust connected to the office of the Māori King.
Local Tina Tonga, a staunch supporter of the Kīngitanga, said she does support the King clearing out his office if the allegations turn out to be true.
"His in-house supporters can go and get a new job ... he's already in a lot of shit now."
Te Moana Tonga said her whānau would back Kingi Tūheitia - but he would have to get to the root of allegations of misspending.
"Part of God's challenge to him - to step up, weed out the weeds from the flowers and it's his fight alone."
Pareoranga Te Kata says Ngaruawahia had seen its fair share of struggles. Photo: RNZ/John Boynton
Pareoranga Te Kata was another Ngaruawahia local with strong ties to the kīngitanga, and said she could see why Mr Morgan wrote the letter.
"A $43,000 tummy tuck [operation] and you know a $100,000 leased SUV ... that's extravagant. I just think that's a bit OTT - over the top."
Ngaruawahia, Ms Te Kata said, was a community which had seen its fair share of struggles, and she felt those iwi funds could be used better.
"We've got children that, our local gangs have been making sandwiches for over I think three or four years, which is a real positive thing when I was working at the kōhanga you know it was really good to see that sandwiches coming in and the kids were really happy about those kind of things. It's only the little things that really count."
"I think that's a bit ka aroha where that money could be sourced in a positive way for the community."
Ms Te Kata said if she had one message to tell King Tūheitia - it would be the words of a song that was written for his mum the late Dame Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu.
"It just talks about aspirations of moving forward, things about heartfelt missions of the people and all I can say to King Tūheitia, our king, kia kaha," she said.
Neither Mr Morgan nor Mr Whakaruru could be reached for comment today.
The koroneihana or coronation celebrations for the Māori King begins on Friday.