Land court called in to forest lease row

King Country Maori landowners are squaring off against New Zealand's richest man in the Maori Land Court at Hamilton today.

Three blocks are challenging the way Graeme Hart's Carter Holt Harvey sold the forests on their land to North American hedge fund Hancock Natural Resources.

Maraeroa C director Glen Katu says when the owners leased their land 30 years ago to what became Carter Holt subsidiary New Zealand Forest Products, they did not give permission for the leases to be assigned to anyone else.

Carter Holt claims because it sold the company rather than the leases, the lessors have no say in the deal.
Mr Katu says the court can sort it out.

“We are hoping that the judge may be able to rule on whether or not the provisions in our leases did in fact have some sort of requirement by Carter Holt Harvey to not only consult but also to give us an opportunity to buy back our leases,” Mr Katu says,

If the three King Country blocks succeed, there are another 40 groups of Maori landowners who may also try to get their leases back from Hancock.

HARAKI LOSING JEWEL IN LANDCORP SELL OFF

Hot on the heels of Ngati Kahu's fight to stop Landcorp selling off a far north property needed for a claim settlement, Hauraki has a similar fight on its hands.

Hauraki Maori Trust Board claims manager John McInteer says on Boxing Day the state owned farming company called for tenders for two properties in its rohe.

Mr McInteer says the board and Ngati Hei have asked the Waitangi Tribunal for an urgent hearing, because the government refused to stop the sale process.

"This property is a jewel in the crown. It is one of only two large Landcorp properties. There’s very little Crown land apart from Department of Conservation land and Crown forests that the Crown has to settle with us, and so we’re just mortified by the fact that they’re selling off and flogging properties which can be used in a settlement,” Mr McInteer says.

The claimants have long identified Landcorp's 1100 hectare Whenuakite Station and its Ngatea dairy operation as critical to any settlement package.

SOUTH BUILDS UP BUSINESS NETWORK

It's networking time for Maori in business at the bottom half of the South Island.

Maori business organisation Te Kupeka Umaka Maori Ki Araiteuru is holding a hui over the next two days at Te Rau Aroha Marae in Bluff.

Chairperson Phil Broughton says he's expecting about 50 firms to be represented, from a range of industries and professions.

“If someone wants a chartered accountant or a builder or a tourism operator or some accommodation, we’ll do like any good network does and all help each other, and there are those elements of kaupapa Maori which filter through our whole processes,” Mr Broughton says.

HAURAKI CRIES FOUL ON WHENUAKITE SALE

Hauraki's treaty claims manager says Landcorp's plans to sell off two farms in its rohe will jeapardise its chances of a fair settlement.

John McInteer says the iwi is caught by the same rationalisation programme which has led to Ngati Kahu people in the far north occupying Landcorp's Rangiputa Station.

The state owned farming company is selling the 11 hundred hectare Whenuakite Station at Cooks Beach and 300 hectares of peat mining land at Ngatea.

The government says it doesn't need to use Landcorp properties for settlements, but Mr McInteer says it only has 64 hectares in the Hauraki landbank.

“The Waitangi Tribunal Report shows that we’re one of the most destitute tribes in the North Island with less then 2.6 percent of our original lands remaining so when you have a large block like the Whenuakite station, up for sale, it’s an absolute requirement of ours that that be protected and withdrawn from sale immediately,” Mr McInteer says.

The Hauraki Maori Trust Board has asked the Waitangi Tribunal for an urgent hearing on the sales.

BACK TO BASICS FOR FISH PLAN

Te Ohu Kaimoana trustee Archie Taiaroa says the government should start again on its plans to take fishing quota from the industry to give to the recreational sector.

Members of the Maori fisheries settlement trust and iwi did the rounds of the political parties this week, spelling out their concerns about the Fisheries Ministry's Shared Fisheries discussion paper.

Mr Taiaroa says the ministry has ignored Maori and industry concerns about the paper, and seems determined to press ahead with legislation.

“And what we're saying is, withdraw the current proposals within the document and start again and sit down with everybody and sort it out properly so that all the sectors are acting in the responsible way,” Mr Taiaroa says.

Iwi see the Shared Fisheries plan as the Crown reneging on the fisheries settlement.

RANGITANE SEEKING RETURN OF WAIRAU BAR ANCESTORS

Marlborough iwi Rangitaane is challenging the Canterbury Museum to do the honorable thing and return their ancestors.

The museum holds remains and taonga taken from 60 graves on the Wairau bar near Blenheim 70 years ago.

It claims the bones pre-date Rangitaane, and plans to DNA test them.

But Richard Bradley, the tribe's development manager, says that's just a delaying tactic while the museum prepares its legal defence.

He says further scientific analysis of the bones is unacceptable.

“Those people were ripped out of the ground, packed into Rinso boxes and taken down to the museum, and all of the waffling and analysis doesn’t change that fact. And if they were really honorable people, they would actually just give them back,” Mr Bradley says.

Rangitaane intends to bury the remains.