Settlement putea transferred but claims unfinished

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Taranaki Tuturu, Te Atiawa, and Ngaruahine yesterday received the remainder of their financial and cultural redress, bringing to an end this stage of the treaty settlement process.

Settlement bills for the three iwi were passed by parliament in November, triggering a period of 40 working days before the compensation was paid.

Cassandra Crowley from Te Korowai o Ngaruahine Trust says all three iwi are all now focused on moving forward and using their settlement resources to enhance the position of whanau, hapu, marae and iwi.

Despite the formal part of Te Atiawa’s settlement being completed, members have a sense of unfinished business over the Pekapeka Block in Waitara.

The Maori affairs select committee has one more hearing on the New Plymouth District Council (Waitara Lands) Bill, which will allow the council to give or sell some land to the iwi while selling the freeholds of the rest to the current lessees.

Manukorihi hapu chair, Patsy Bodger, who made a submission to last week’s Maori affairs select committee hearing on the New Plymouth District Council (Waitara Lands) Bill, says the bill was drafted by the council with no input from iwi or hapu.

She says it needs to be stopped and a new approach taken that involves transferring all the land to the iwi.

"Yes there may be a different landlord, but as I said in my korero, I know people don't trust us to be able to manage that land, but give us the opportunity," Mrs Bodger says.

What impressed her about the hearing was the many Pakeha leaseholders who agreed the land was stolen and should go back to Te Atiawa.

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