6 October 2011

Court finds against attempt to remove Ngati Hine claims from Ngapuhi mandate process

The Maori Land Court today ruled against hapu Ngati Hine’s attempt to force Te Ropu o Tuhoronuku to remove Ngati Hine Tribunal claims from its mandate proposal.

Te Ropu o Tuhoronuku, an independent sub-committee of Te Runanga-A-Iwi-O-Ngapuhi, is Ngapuhi’s Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement entity.

Following a two day hearing in Whangarei, Judge Ambler ruled that this part of Ngati Hine’s application was outside the jurisdiction of the Maori Land Court, and he dismissed it.

The decision comes a week after the election result that 76% of Ngapuhi who voted had given their mandate to Te Ropu o Tuhoronuku to begin a negotiated settlement with the Crown. The voting process, the biggest ever exercise in Iwi Maori democracy, was conducted by an independent Christchurch elections company.

Said Te Ropu o Tuhoronuku Interim Chairman, Raniera (Sonny) Tau: “Today’s Court ruling is good news for the overwhelming majority of Ngapuhi, at home, in Auckland or elsewhere, who wish to see settlement and advancement for our people.”

Mr Tau said the door was always open to Ngapuhi hapu and Treaty claimant communities who wish to be part of the historic Ngapuhi settlement journey.

ENDS

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