|
|||
 |
Nga Ra
To Register
Registration Form (PDF)
Public Notice
A Special Resolution of Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara (including a postal ballot) has been passed by postal ballot ratifying the Deed of Settlement, and to allow the trustees of Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Development Trust and Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Tari Pupuritaonga Trust to enter into the Deed. See full Notice (PDF).
- 1987 - Lands Case in Court of Appeal cites Woodhill
- 1992 - WAI 312 lodged
- 1995 - Crown Forestry Rental Trust funding
- 1999-2001 - Waitangi Tribunal hearings
- 2002 - Mandate given to Claim Komiti to initiate negotiations
- 2002 - Kaipara Interim Report from Tribunal
- 2002-6 Discussions with Crown fail to make progress
- 2006 - Full Tribunal report received. Application for Remedies Hearing with Tribunal lodged
- 2007 - Discuss Governance Entity models with marae communities
- 2008 - Begin serious discussions with Minister Michael Cullen
- 2008 - Further consultation with whanau
- 2008 June - Signing of Terms of Negotiation
- 2008 October - 2009 - Working towards an Agreement in Principle with the Crown & establishing our own Governance Entity
- 2009 December 22 - Signed Agreement in Principle
- 2010 March - Draft Deed of Settlement
- Deed of Settlement concluded with legislation?
Basics of our Claim Against the Crown:
- The claimants are the whanau & hapu of the five marae of the South Kaipara, namely Haranui, Reweti, Kakanui, Araparera and Puatahi. Evidence of the whakapapa, origins, identity and inter-relationship of the marae was provided by kaumatua representing each marae at the first hearing of the WAI 312 claim in March 1999.
- The name Ngati Whatua o Kaipara ki te Tonga is not a traditional name, and is not in any way intended to suggest a separate Ngati Whatua iwi. It was simply a description to avoid confusion between Ngati Whatua o Orakei, Te Uri o Hau and Ngati Whatua in the Kaipara, and for addressing grievances specifically to these people in this area.
- As an inclusive claim the WAI 312 claim was supported by a number of ancillary claims within the region; in particular both WAI 279 filed by Eriapa Uruamo and WAI 733 filed by the late Tauhia Hill, while continuing to pursue their own grievances against the Crown, which in turn were supported by WAI 312.
- The claim boundary is not supposed to be the traditional boundaries of Ngati Whatua or any other iwi but is a boundary solely for the purposes of the claims. WAI 312 claimants' interests to the east of the Kaipara regional inquiry district will have to wait for another opportunity.
- The claim area covers approx. 400,000 acres and was occupied by way of customary ownership of our tupuna at the time of the Treaty. At present there is only 8,811 acres remaining in Maori ownership, none of which is in tribal ownership for all practical purposes.
- Pre-emptive Waiver transactions 1844-46: 1) The Crown failed to actively protect the interests of Ngati Whatua by not investigating the nature of the pre-emptive waiver transactions; 2) Having failed to investigate the nature of the transactions, granting part of the land to settlers and retaining the remaining 28,050 acres which it, the Crown, had never fairly acquired.
- Crown Purchases 1848-1853: 16 blocks amounting to approx. 25-30,000 acres in the Upper Waitemata, not one was ever surveyed and they overlap with pre-emptive waiver purchases. Crown failed to protect Maori interests and Crown's lack of care led to considerable confusion and drawn out complaints and petitions.
- Crown Purchases 1854-1867: 29 blocks, comprehensive in scale and detail, amounting to 225,196 acres, acquired by Rogan at an average price of just 1s 11d per acre, which the Crown later sold for well over 10s an acre. Crown failed to deliver on the promises of development made to induce Ngati Whatua to make land available to the Crown.
- Native Land Court (NLC) Sales 1864-1900 - Specifically our grievances include: 1) costs of the NLC process were a burden on Ngati Whatua & in breach of Article 2 of the Treaty and the principle of active protection, 2) role of NLC judge went unchecked, 3) NLC system completely inconsistent with guarantees in Article 2 and individualisation had devastating effects on Ngati Whatua. Crown's refusal to change the system when Maori identified their concerns. All these factors prejudiced Ngati Whatua's ability to participate effectively in the settler economy.
- In 1865 Ngati Whatua held 156,000 acres; in 1900 dwindled to 36,381; today it's approx. 8811 acres. Twentieth Century issues revolve around further alienation and fragmentation of the remaining Ngati Whatua land holdings. The dismal reality for many was that they could not manage to hold on to the land they had left and survive because of the restrictions imposed by the Maori land systems in operation such as those of the Native Lands Act 1909, the actions of the Tokerau District Maori Land Board, and the use of the Public Works Act. Hardship resulting from debt, loss of access to some blocks, lack of capital to develop lands they had, provide evidence of the Crown's failure to actively protect the interests of Ngati Whatua. When the Crown did attempt to improve the situation in other parts of the country with development and consolidation schemes, Kaipara was not even given the chance to participate as they had so little land left and most of what was left proved unsuitable for agricultural development.
- This lack of land and the ensuing lack of an economic base have resulted in the gross economic and political marginalisation of Ngati Whatua over the past 100 years. 30 testimonials were delivered by individual claimants to the Waitangi Tribunal during the 4 weeks of hearings in 1999. Many of those who shared their life experiences and the prejudice they suffered in their own lifetimes because of decisions and actions of the Crown since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, have now passed on.