'Unusual and unlawful' acts by 'propagandist' left iwi landless

Monday, 12 July 2021

Misinformation and unlawful behaviour from the Crown left iwi in Manawatū as one of most the landless tribes in New Zealand, leaving it behind other iwi culturally and economically.

Representatives of Manawatū iwi made the claims as the Manawatū ki Porirua Waitangi Tribunal inquiry resumed at the Feilding Civic Centre on Monday, the seventh week of 12 scheduled hearings.

The inquiry is part of the Ngāti Raukawa confederations claim, which states the historical sale of thousands of hectares of land between Manawatū and Kāpiti was not done legitimately.

Taihākurei (Eddie) Durie and Dennis Emery of Ngāti Kauwhata spoke about how the iwi's land in the Rangitīkei-Manawatū block was taken in the 1860s by Isaac Featherston, the Government's land purchasing commissioner for the area.

**READ MORE:

* Another week of Waitangi Tribunal hearings to begin in Feilding

* Manawatū iwi dispossessed after land confiscation

* Waitangi Tribunal hearings to resume in Feilding

**

Emery said Featherston was “an unprincipled corrupter of proper process to suit his own ends” and a “talented but perverted propagandist”.

“He chose to be willingly ignorant of those moral and legal norms that Māori needed to retain the lands they wished to keep … The consequence for the hapū of the Ngāti Raukawa confederation was they became one of the most landless tribes in the country.

“This was to put Ngāti Raukawa behind nearly every other tribe in maintaining their culture and in building the economic base that was needed for their survival.”

Emery said the Raukawa people didn’t want to sell, but were led to believe there was nothing they could do except sell so they could secure land reserves, but it didn't eventuate.

“A separate consent was required from each of the hapū for the sale of the particular area. No such consent was given.”

He said the Government’s actions were unusual and unlawful.

Durie said the Rangitīkei-Manawatū purchase was the worst sale in the level of deceit.

He said Ngāti Raukawa were determined to hold onto their land and the Government was equally determined to buy it.

The Native Land Court was supposed to determine land ownership before buying began, but a law change meant Manawatū was excluded from the court's jurisdiction, allowing Featherston to determine the ownership, price and reserves.

“There's a message in this, don't take on the Government or you will lose. Hardly a context you can expect a fair and willing sale.”

There were tensions with neighbouring iwi Ngāti Apa from Rangitīkei over land ownership and Featherston promoted the sale as a way of keeping the peace.

Featherston also told Māori if they took up arms against the Crown they would be in rebellion and their land would be confiscated, but Durie said rebellion had a wider meaning.

“Featherston, he's telling Ngāti Raukawa if you do a haka you could be seen to be opposing the Government.

“The constant spread of misinformation, Māori people were at constant risk of losing the land unless they sell it and take up a reserve.”

They were pressured to submit to Featherston and if not their land would be confiscated.

“What you're seeing is the act of a demagogue, a person who avoids rationale and debates by making statements that appeal to the public. Not dealing with the issues … [he said] ‘I'm only trying to keep the peace, I'm trying to help’.

“The last person we heard talking like that was Donald Trump.”