Last Taranaki iwi to settle treaty claim votes to accept $30m deal

Thursday, 22 October 2020

The last Taranaki iwi to settle its Treaty of Waitangi claim has got the support of its people to seal the $30 million deal, which includes the return of significant properties like Te Wera Forest.

Members of Ngāti Maru, which has about 3000 uri (descendants), voted to back the settlement package negotiated on its behalf with the Crown.

Of those who voted, 92 per cent were in favour of accepting the terms of the Deed of Settlement, which also includes a Crown apology, a cultural revitalisation fund and the return of 16 properties to the iwi.

Te Runanga o Ngāti Maru lead negotiator Anaru Marshall was delighted with the result, which comes after negotiations first got underway in 2016.

**READ MORE:

* Ngāti Maru one step closer to land, $30m treaty settlement

* Ngāti Maru edges towards settling its Treaty of Waitangi claim

* Ngāti Maru treaty settlement progress delayed until early next year

**

He said the high percentage of support for the deal was an “emphatic message from the iwi”.

“Our whānau have waited over 20 years and we are now at a significant step of signing the deed so it can be passed into legislation.”

Of those registered to take part in the voting, 47 per cent did so.

Runanga chairman Holden Hohaia said the treaty deal would be formally signed by the end of the year.

The list of the properties being given back to Ngāti Maru includes Te Wera Forest, Tarata and Matau schools and Stratford Police Station, which will be leased back to the Crown.

The settlement package will be managed by Te Kāhui Maru, which is the iwi post-settlement governance entity.

In 1865, Ngāti Maru had 220,000 hectares of land illegally taken by the Crown or sold off in deals done without permission of iwi members.

Of the tracts of land stolen, about 80,000 hectares, or 131 different sites, is currently governed by Department of Conservation.

With the Ngāti Maru settlement almost complete, the only other outstanding claim in the region relates to Taranaki Maunga.