April 14, 2014
Mahaki trust
Te Aitanga a Mahaki Trust has won the support of 96.8 percent of those who voted in whether it should have the mandate to negotiate a treaty settlement for the East Coast iwi.
The trust has spent the past two months on the road explaining its plans to iwi members.
Negotiator Willie Te Aho says whanau now want the trust to get on with the business.
Te Aitanga a Mahaki conducted the ballot through independent company by Electionz.com, but it will now need to convince the Crown to enter into talks.
Mr Te Aho says if it doesn’t or negotiations are unsatisfactory, iwi members authorised claimant John Ruru and the trust to pursue other remedies including binding recommendations through the Waitangi Tribunal.
The iwi is claiming up to $120 million because of the savagery of the crown’s attacks on it during the land wars of the 1860s and the impacts of land loss after the war.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH WILLIE TE AHO CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTcwOTc=
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