Hon Christopher Finlayson
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations

21 May 2011 Media Statement

Deed of Settlement signed with Ngāti Manuhiri

TThe Crown today signed a Deed of Settlement for all historical Treaty claims with Ngāti Manuhiri, Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson announced.

The deed was signed at a ceremony at Omaha Marae in Pakiri, Leigh.

The claims of Ngāti Manuhiri relate to the loss of land and the actions of the Crown, covering the eastern coastline from Whangaparoa/Orewa to Mangawhai, including Hauturu/Little Barrier Island. Ngāti Manuhiri has around 1200 members.

The settlement includes commercial and financial redress worth $9 million, as well as the return of six culturally significant sites including 1.2 hectares of land on Little Barrier Island.

Little Barrier Island is of high cultural significance for Ngāti Manuhiri and was a permanent home for whānau until 1896 when the Crown passed legislation to compulsorily acquire the Island. It then forcibly evicted the residents.

“The Crown recognises the iconic importance of Little Barrier Island to Ngāti Manuhiri,” Mr Finlayson said. “The reserve will be transferred to Ngāti Manuhiri on settlement. Ngāti Manuhiri will then gift back the reserve to the people of New Zealand, retaining 1.2 hectares for cultural purposes.”

The island’s status as a nature reserve will continue.

On 2 March 2011, Ngāti Manuhiri and the Crown initialled the deed of settlement. In their ratification of the settlement over the past two months, the Ngāti Manuhiri community voted overwhelmingly in support of the settlement.

Mr Finlayson said today’s signing was an important milestone for the Tāmaki Makaurau region and the country.

“Resolving historical claims in Tāmaki Makaurau is beneficial for the long term benefit of Auckland and New Zealand as a whole. The Auckland region represents around a third of outstanding historical Treaty claims, and so resolving claims in this area is an important part of our goal of settling historical Treaty claims in a just and durable fashion by 2014.”

“This settlement will help the Ngāti Manuhiri hapū realise long-term economic and cultural benefits for their people," Mr Finlayson said.

Legislation will be introduced into Parliament to give effect to the settlement.

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