Valuable land confiscated: claim
Land taken from Ma¯ori by the Crown in Te Reureu, Manawatu¯, is estimated to be worth between $250 million and $770m today.
Tiwana Tibble of Nga¯ti Pikiahu made the valuation at a Waitangi Tribunal hearing at Te Tikanga Marae at Tokorangi, north of Halcombe, yesterday, as part of the Nga¯ti Raukawa iwi confederations treaty claim.
This week of hearings is focused on the Te Reureu area, which borders the Rangitı¯kei River, but is part of a case relating to the historical purchase of the Rangitı¯kei-manawatu¯ block in the 19th century. The block is about 130,000 hectares of land between Manawatu¯ and Ka¯piti.
Raukawa claims the area was not bought legitimately, but confiscated by the pen.
Tibble has connections to Nga¯ti Pikihau Waewae, is a former chief executive of Nga¯ti Wha¯tua rake, and worked for 30 years inma¯ori economic development.
It’s estimated of the 8000ha hapu¯ owned besides the
Rangitikei River, only 1000ha are still in Ma¯ori hands today, a thin strip seen as inadequate.
He said it was a ‘‘big land loss’’ at Te Reureu and the land would be worth between $250m and $770m today, judging by how much land is valued and how many houses are nearby.
‘‘When I look at it from a commercial point of view and as an ex-chief executive I see 15,000 acres [6000 ha], and when [the Crown] kept 15,000 acres [6000ha] they broke all the rules of contact.
‘‘For some reason the Crown, who were supposed to be acting on our behalf as Treaty [of Waitangi] partners, they gave us a quarter of it.
‘‘I fail to comprehend how the other three quarters can be sold to someone else.’’
Tribunal panel member Tania Simpson said Tipple hadn’t taken into account the lost opportunity of working the land, and the loss of identity, te reo and reputation when making the valuation.
‘‘If you assign economic values to those things, I think you will find it’s an enormous number. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing that.
‘‘We’re talking about the consequence and impact on the people.’’
The hearing was also told of the history of Nga¯ti Rangatahi and Nga¯ti Matakore in the area, by Paul Husbands and Brian Emery.
Rangatahi had migrated to the area after being forced to abandon settlements in Hutt Valley, while information on Matakore’s move to Te Reureu was sparse, Husbands said.
Emery said the people did not agree to the sale of the land and as a result there was a land shortage. ‘‘If the Crown relies on the decision of the Native Land Court it must be discounted, because the Crown should have applied to the Native Land Court to determine the ownership before, not after [the sale].’’
John Rewiti of Nga¯ti Waewae gave evidence about the history of the hapu¯ in the area and the sale of blocks of land.
He said Nga¯ti Pikihau and Nga¯ti Waewae had lived in Te Reureu before the purchase of the Rangitikei-turakina block, but the Crown legislated the transfer of iwi land and waterways in Te Reureu into private hands.
Settlers viewed Rangitı¯kei as valuable land and a valuable commodity.
‘‘The Crown purchase process was designed to displace Ma¯ori from as much of their land as possible.
‘‘In particular, the case of Rangitı¯kei-manawatu¯, it was rushed through in 21⁄ weeks, when the primarymeans of transport between Palmerston North and Wellington was by horse or foot.’’ ¯O
He said the 1619ha given to hapu¯ in Te Reureu compared poorly with that across the Rangitı¯kei River.
‘‘I fail to comprehend how the other three quarters can be sold to someone else.’’ Tiwana Tibble