Rangitaane o Manawatu signs treaty settlement with Crown
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Twenty-five years after her mother filed Rangitaane o Manawatu's claim with the Waitangi Tribunal, Danielle Harris and her iwi have closure.
Harris, the principal negotiator for the iwi, was able to sign the deed of settlement on Saturday at Te Hotu Manawa o Rangitaane o Manawatu Marae in Palmerston North.
Her mother, the late Ruth Harris, began the settlement process for the iwi when she filed its claim in 1990.
Hundreds gathered on Saturday to hear Attorney-General and Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson formally apologise for the Crown's repeated Treaty of Waitangi breaches, which decimated the iwi's resources and mana.
The grievance has its origins in the actions of the New Zealand Company in the 1820s, as they acquired Rangitaane o Manawatu's land off iwi who had moved to the area.
The cumulative effect of Crown purchases and native land laws left Rangitaane o Manawatu effectively landless by 1992.
One of the deepest grievances involved the Crown purchasing iwi land at Papaioea for individuals from another iwi.
RANGITAANE O MANAWATU'S REDRESS
Rangitaane o Manawatu will be given $13.5 million worth of assets in financial redress, including:
first right of refusal over multiple Crown properties, including Manawatu Prison, Linton Army Camp, Palmerston North Girls' High School and Palmerston North Courthouse.
deferred right to purchase, for up to two years, Linton Army Camp housing estate and Awatapu College. If purchased, they must be leased back to the Crown.
purchasing Tangimoana Forest, which creates $20,000 a year in rental income, and the former Massey hostel on Fitzherbert Ave, Palmerston North.
a payment of $2.6m when the deed of settlement becomes unconditional.
As part of a cultural redress, the Crown will move to officially change the names of various places, and 11 Crown-owned sites will be vested to the iwi.
Furthermore, a Manawatu River advisory board will be set up, which will give advice Horizons Regional Council must consider when making decisions about the notoriously polluted waterway.
Other iwi that have cultural associates with the river will be invited to join the board as they settle their treaty claims.
Danielle Harris said the iwi would have liked ownership of the river, but knew that was not Government policy, so having the board set up was extremely important due to the river's significance to the iwi.
IWI'S PLANS WILL BENEFIT WIDER COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS
Danielle Harris said her mother would have had 'immense satisfaction' at the deed signing, which was 'one giant leap closer to justice being achieved'.
'It is the closing of her chapter, and the dawning of a new one.'
The settlement was good for all people of Palmerston North, as the injection of resources would stimulate the economy, create jobs and enhance education opportunities, she said.
'We have resided in the Manawatu since the 1600s, and we will be here for eternity.
'We are fully committed to growing our region.'
Finlayson said it had been a personal ambition of his to get Rangitaane o Manawatu's settlement over the line.
It had taken too long for the settlement to happen, but the iwi's negotiators were not to blame, he said.
'Few negotiating teams have demonstrated such professionalism.
'They have been, and are, outstanding servants of Rangitaane o Manawatu, and I publicly commend them on their enormous contribution.'
While it was impossible to fully compensate the iwi for what happened - 'you cannot have full compensation or reinstatement, or you would bankrupt the country' - it could now build a better future for its tamariki, who Finlayson specifically addressed.
'When you are running the show, I'm sure this is going to be an iwi that everyone in the country is going to pay a great deal of attention to.'
CROWN 'SINCERELY APOLOGISES' FOR TREATY BREACHES
Finlayson used his speech to deliver the Crown's formal apology to Rangitaane o Manawatu, something he said was always the most solemn part of any speech he gave at settlement signings.
He said the Crown was sorry it had not lived up to its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, and unreservedly apologised for its breaches.
The Crown also apologised for the effects of its acts and omissions, which left the iwi virtually landless.
'The Crown is deeply remorseful about the lasting sense of grievance its acts and omissions have caused Rangitaane o Manawatu.
'The Crown seeks to atone for its wrongs and begin the process of healing.'
As part of proceedings Finlayson gifted an image of the Manawatu River, which has the apology in both English and te reo Maori written on top.
The apology will become part of the settlement legislation, which must go through Parliament before the settlement becomes official.
Danielle Harris said she hoped the legislation would be introduced in 2016, and that it could take time to be passed into law.
TIMELINE:
1600s: Rangitaane o Manawatu reside in Manawatu.
1820s: Northern migrating tribes and European settlers arrive.
1840s: New Zealand Company acquires Rangitaane o Manawatu land from migrant iwi.
1850s: Crown being purchasing land in the area.
1870s: Native Land Court hearings commence, with many Rangitaane of Manawatu members barred from having their grievances addressed.
1990: Ruth Harris files Rangitaane o Manawatu's claim with the Waitangi Tribunal.
1997: Formal talks occur between the iwi and Crown.
1998: Tanenuiarangi Manawatu Inc (TMI) recognised by the Crown as having mandate to represent the iwi.
2003: TMI must be remandated, after claims it may not have the mandate to represent the iwi.
2005: TMI remandated.
2014: Negotiators successfully complete ratification process.
2015: Crown and Rangitaane o Manawatu sign the deed of settlement.
2016: Legislation put before Parliament to make the settlement official.