Security is tight for $7mtreaty move

Stringent security will surround the shifting of New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, a few hundred metres up the road to the National Library.

The decision to shift the Treaty and other constitutionally significant documents from Archives New Zealand has sparked criticism by Labour after the cost was revealed at close to $7 million.

Archives New Zealand chief archivist and general manager Greg Goulding yesterday admitted it had caused some rumbles among staff, especially those who led tours and had worked alongside the document for years.

An email from Mr Goulding to staff obtained by Labour MP Grant Robertson refers to those rumbles – and acknowledges that not everyone at Archives agreed shifting the Treaty was ‘‘a great idea’’.

‘‘For those of us who work with these taonga on a regular basis and have come to strongly identify with them and their connection with us through being in the same space there may well be a sense of loss and sadness about this move.’’

Mr Goulding acknowledged yesterday that some staff were ‘‘attached’’ to the documents and that was natural.

But he said there were compelling reasons for the move, including a higherprofile building and the ability to accommodate more visitors than the current 10,000 people a year who make the trip to see the Treaty. ‘‘We will be able to use some new technology and better designed display cases to enable people to see them more easily.’’

Labour has questioned why the Government is paying nearly $7m to move the Treaty and other documents rather than spend $1m or $2m upgrading Archives.

But Mr Goulding said while that would pay for equipment to be upgraded it would not create extra capacity for visitors.

‘‘At the moment there’s about 10,000 people come through to view the document per year and we’d like to see that increase.

‘‘These are obviously extremely important documents, an important part of our history and I think it’s important New Zealanders have got a better opportunity to come and see them.’’

The Treaty of Waitangi, which is spread over nine documents, was previously housed at the Reserve Bank because of security threats.

It was shifted to Archives New Zealand when those threats eased.

But it continues to be protected by a heavy vault door.

Mr Goulding confirmed security would be stringent when the documents were moved, which would probably happen late next year.

‘‘We are just starting up the project now . . . and security is going to be obviously one of the things we need to think through pretty carefully because a document like this is extremely precious and we won’t take security lightly,’’ he said.

There might also have to be special, sealed cases designed to protect the documents from exposure to the environment when they are moved.