December 26, 2012
Ruthless land purchasing basis of Urewera Park
The Waitangi Tribunal has slated the Crown for the 1916 invasion of Maungapohatu and arrest of Rua Kenana, and the subsequent land policies that cut the economic capacity of Ngāi Tūhoe to the bone.
The criticisms were contained in the fourth part of its report on claims in the Te Urewera district inquiry, which focused on the 20th century.
It says the military-style action against the prophet Rua, which left two young men dead, was a treaty breach and destroyed a functioning, vibrant community.
The tribunal found that the 20th century land development schemes were initiated with good intentions and delivered some benefits, but when the lands were returned they were encumbered with high levels of debt which could and should have been written off.
Tūhoe landowners were also prevented from milling timber, without compensation being given in breach of Treaty principles.
The tribunal found the creation of Te Urewera National Park did not breach the Treaty of Waitangi, but the way the Crown bought 75 per cent of the Urewera Native Reserve in the 30 or so years after 1896 was in breach.
A further treaty breach happened in 1960 when the Crown transferred a Ruatoki water scheme it didn't own to the Whakatane City Council.
The report was released almost three months after the Crown and Ngāi Tūhoe negotiators agreed on a comprehensive deed of settlement which created a new legal entity to manage the land in the national park.