April 13, 2016
Te Atiawa backs Waitara compromise
The chair of Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Trust hopes for a smooth passage of a local bill that will return a small part of the disputed Pekapeka block in Waitara to the iwi.
The trust decided against using its treaty settlement to buy land in the Taranaki township, and instead negotiated directly with New Plymouth District Council.
The seizure of the land in 1860 after a disputed sale sparked the first Taranaki War, but the fact most of what’s left in public hands is leased to homeowners has made the issue difficult to resolve.
Liana Poutu says the bill endorsed by the council last night will allow lessees to freehold their land, while giving the iwi a couple of council reserves, a block zoned for residential development, and first refusal rights on other surplus land.
"A statutory board is going to be established with 50 percent of members appointed by council and 50 percent by Te Atiawa. That board will manage all the income from the leases as well as any sale proceeds from the freeholding of land, and we will have a role in determining how that money is used for Waitara. it's a compromise, we understand that, but it's a way forward for us," she says.
The draft local bill goes up on the council website next week, and will be open for submissions until May 20.
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