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The government has confirmed it has bought one of the most significant battle sites of the New Zealand Wars.
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson says the 9.7 hectare site near Te Awamutu is of great historical and cultural importance to the iwi who fought at the Battle of Orakau.
He says the property’s former owners recognised it importance and approached the Crown with an offer to sell.
It will be placed in the Office of Treaty Settlements landbank and maintained by the Crown while consultation takes place about its future with iwi, Waipa Council and the Battle of O-Rakau Heritage Society, which holds annual commemorations at the site.
At a commemoration last year of the 150th anniversary of the battle, a spokesperson for King Tuheitia stressed the need for memorials for those caught up in the New Zealand Wars.
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