Watson - Torere Section 64 Incorporation
Māori Land Court (2012) 66 Waiāriki MB 54 (66 WAR 54)
19 November 2012
The election of the successful candidate in an election for a member of the Committee of Management was confirmed.
Download Watson - Torere Section 64 Incorporation here (68 KB PDF). read more
Matua Rautia: the Report on the Kōhanga Reo Claim
Waitangi Tribunal (Wai 2336, 2012)
The Waitangi Tribunal has released its report Matua Rautia: the report on the Kōhanga Reo claim. The report deals with a number of issues about the state of te reo Māori in kōhanga reo (Māori language preschools) and the Crown’s obligations to support the kōhanga reo movement and language revitalisation.
Download Matua Rautia: the report on the Kōhanga Reo claim here (4.45 MB PDF). read more
Stubbs v Wall - The Proprietors of Opawa Rangitoto 2C
Māori Land Court (2012) 291 Aotea MB 231 (291 AOT 231)
5 November 2012
The respondent was suspended as a member of the Committee of Management of the Proprietors of Opawa Rangitoto 2C Incorporation for failing to comply with an Order for discovery.
Download Stubbs v Wall - The Proprietors of Opawa Rangitoto 2C here (135 KB PDF). read more
Te Urewera (pre-publication edition), Part III: From self-governing native reserve to national park
Waitangi Tribunal (Wai 894, 2012)
Part III of the Tribunal's report on its district inquiry into Te Urewera has been released in a pre-publication edition.
This part of the Tribunal's report tells the story of the transformation of land that came to form Te Urewera national part from self-governing native reserve to national park. The Tribunal found it was a story containing many broken promises. These ranged from failures to respect autonomy and tribal-level dealings in land through to failures to construct roading infrastructure. The governance and management of the national park was exclusionary of tribal interests. The issues relating to the national park sit at the heart of the claims of the peoples of Te Urewera and the Crown admitted in this inquiry that it obtained most of the park lands in breach of the Treaty. The Tribunal is of the view that this needs to be more widely known if grievances are to be properly acknowledged and resolved and therefore hopes that this report “lays to rest the myth that the Crown acquired the park lands in fair and clean transactions.”
Carwyn Jones and Te Rangimārie Williams have prepared the following summary of this part of the Tribunal's report.
Download Te Urewera (pre-publication edition), Part III here. read more
Biddy Livesey has examined two papakāinga development projects on Māori land, a topic which has gained recent attention from both the Office of the Auditor-General and the Productivity Commission as part of an effort to increase access to affordable housing and address barriers to development of Māori land. These projects provide an insight into landowners’ decision-making in the context of tension between the development and retention of Māori land. read more
This comment is an invited response to the article by Biddy Livesey, Housing development on Māori land – Two case studies in developing and retaining Māori land. read more
Deputy Chief Judge Caren Fox - Re-launching the waka (3)
Validity of trustee appointments - Tito v Tito [2012] NZCA 493
Control over whānau taonga - Jones v Wickliffe [2012] NZHC 1960
Security for costs – appeal dismissed for failure to comply with Court directions - Whaanga v Ihaka Whaanga Whanau Trust - Town Section 90 Mahia & Town Section 91 Mahia [2012] 2012 Maori Appellate Court MB 538
Costs - costs reasonably incurred as starting point - Henare v Māori Trustee – Parengarenga 3G [2012] 2012 Māori Appellate Court MB 540
Rehearing - application submitted outside 28 day period - Te Purei - Rahui A12D (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 272
Status of land - status as Māori freehold land not a hindrance to securing finance - Johnson - Wairau North 8A (2012) 48 Taitokerau MB 217
Succession by whāngai - Edgecombe - Succession to Taiāwhio Waaka also known as Kelly Waaka (2012) 19 Takitimu MB 165 (19 TKT 165)
Interim injunction to prevent trespass on Māori freehold land - Te Rangi - Mahanga 1C1E (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 268 (25 TRW 268
Disposing of Māori freehold land by will to children adopted out of the whānau - Estate of Ross Glencairn Hovell (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 258 (25 TRW 258)
Māori reservation – whare wānanga for kaupapa waka – Busby - Okokori B (2012) 50 Taitokerau MB 9
Te Taou application for an urgent inquiry into settlements declined
New governance proposals for Te Urewera - Crown offer to settle the historical claims of Ngāi Tūhoe
‘Always Speaking’: The Treaty of Waitangi and Public Policy reviewed by Dr Matthew S R Palmer
Download the Māori Law Review October 2012 (542 KB PDF).
Tito v Tito
Court of Appeal [2012] NZCA 493
29 October 2012
The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal from the Māori Appellate Court's decision to appoint two interim trustees to an ahu whenua trust. The Court suggested the owners consider appointing an independent professional as sole responsible trustee given the narrow scope of the trust's operations.
Download Tito v Tito [2012] NZCA 493 here (133KB PDF). read more
Jones v Wickliffe
High Court [2012] NZHC 1960
7 August 2012
The parties disputed who had rights to possession of two kakahu (feather cloaks) as whānau taonga (treasured family heirlooms). The Court dismissed the defendant's application to strike out the plaintiff's claim that she was entitled to possession of the kakahu.
Download Jones v Wickliffe [2012] NZHC 1960 here (99KB PDF). read more
Whaanga v Ihaka Whaanga Whanau Trust - Town Section 90 Mahia & Town Section 91 Mahia
[2012] 2012 Maori Appellate Court MB 538 (2012 APPEAL 538)
17 October 2012
The Appellate Court dismissed the appeal after the appellant failed to comply with the Court's directions to deposit security for costs.
Download Whaanga v Ihaka Whaanga Whanau Trust - Town Section 90 Mahia & Town Section 91 Mahia (60 KB PDF) here. read more
Henare v Māori Trustee – Parengarenga 3G
[2012] 2012 Māori Appellate Court MB 540 (2012 APPEAL 540)
26 October 2012
The Appellate Court found the appellant was entitled to a reasonable contribution towards the costs they had reasonably incurred.
Download Henare v Māori Trustee – Parengarenga 3G (215 KB PDF) here. read more
Te Purei - Rahui A12D
Māori Land Court (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 272 (25 TRW 272)
19 October 2012
Application for a rehearing of orders made. Application dismissed as it was submitted outside of the 28 day period when it could reasonably have been filed sooner.
Download Te Purei - Rahui A12D (122 KB PDF) here. read more
Johnson - Wairau North 8A
Māori Land Court (2012) 48 Taitokerau MB 217 (48 TTK 217)
2 October 2012
Application to change status from Māori freehold land to General land dismissed. Applicants did not provide evidence to show that status as Māori freehold land was a hindrance to securing finance and there was no proposal for the use of the land that was hindered by its current status.
Download Johnson - Wairau North 8A (2012) 48 Taitokerau MB 217 (68 KB PDF) here. read more
Edgecombe - Succession to Taiāwhio Waaka also known as Kelly Waaka
Māori Land Court (2012) 19 Takitimu MB 165 (19 TKT 165)
16 October 2012
The applicants were found to be whāngai children to the deceased. The first applicant was not entitled to succeed to the deceased's Māori land interests. The second applicant was entitled to succeed to a life interest in those lands.
Download Edgecombe - Succession to Taiāwhio Waaka also known as Kelly Waaka (2012) 19 Takitimu MB 165 here (260KB PDF). read more
Te Rangi - Mahanga 1C1E
Māori Land Court (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 268 (25 TRW 268)
18 October 2012
The Court granted an ex-parte application for an interim injunction to prevent use of the Mahanga marae at Māhia without the permission of the trustees. A hearing was scheduled for late November 2012 for the Court to determine whether to extend or dismiss the injunction.
Download Te Rangi - Mahanga 1C1E (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 268 here (108KB PDF) read more
Estate of Ross Glencairn Hovell
Māori Land Court (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 258 (25 TRW 258)
5 October 2012
A child legally adopted out of the whānau remains a person who may be left an interest in Māori freehold land within the meaning of s 108 Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.
Download Estate of Ross Glencairn Hovell (2012) 25 Tairawhiti MB 258 here (85KB PDF). read more
Busby - Okokori B
Māori Land Court (2012) 50 Taitokerau MB 9 (50 TTK 9)
26 October 2012
Objections to an application to set aside land as a Māori reservation for a whare wānanga were dismissed. The rationale for the reservation was of "unquestionable merit" and would not affect the mana of Ngāti Tara. Application adjourned to allow for the applicant to provide more information about the proposed beneficiary, the Hekenukumai Trust.
Download Busby - Okokori B here (119 KB PDF). read more
Memorandum-directions of the Presiding Officer declining an application for an urgent inquiry by Lou Paul, on behalf of Te Taou and others
Waitangi Tribunal (Wai 756, #2.112)
5 October 2012
The Tribunal’s Deputy Chairperson declined an application for an urgent hearing of a claim that sought to challenge the Crown’s approach to settlement negotiations in Kaipara and Tāmaki Makaurau.
Download Wai 756, #2.112 Memorandum-directions here (444 KB PDF). read more
On 11 September 2012, Te Kotahi ā Tūhoe, the Ngāi Tūhoe negotiations team, accepted the Crown offer to settle the historical claims of Tūhoe. The Crown offer includes financial, commercial and cultural redress valued at approximately $170 million; an historical account and Crown apology; the co-governance of Te Urewera lands, which will be vested in a new legal identity created by legislation; and mana motuhake in relation to the delivery of government and iwi services to Tūhoe communities. read more
‘Always Speaking’: The Treaty of Waitangi and Public Policy
Veronica MH Tawhai and Katarina Gray-Sharp (eds)
Huia Publishers, Wellington, 2011 (344 pages)
Reviewed by Dr Matthew S R Palmer, Barrister, Thorndon Chambers, Wellington read more
Carwyn Jones - Re-launching the waka (2)
Trusts - termination of whenua tōpū trust - appeal dismissed - Karena v Pita - Whangaruru Whakaturia 1D9A & 1D10A [2012] 2012 Maori Appellate Court MB 451
Trusts - variation - ownership entitlements - Jaggard v Carver - Waikawa Village Section 2B 3B Lot 4 and Lot 5 DP 3660 [2012] 2012 Māori Appellate Court 525
Chief Judge’s powers - not a rehearing or appeal jurisdiction – Ruka - Taheke 23A [2012] Chief Judge's MB 416
Chief Judge’s powers – transfer order based on outdated valuation cancelled – Welsh - Taiharuru 4C3 [2012] Chief Judge's MB 398
Review of trust and defective lease - Te Paa, Ahipara A33 (2012) 47 TTK 3
Māori rights over water – The Interim Report on the National Freshwater and Geothermal Resources Claim (Wai 2358, 2012)
Treaty of Waitangi settlement legislation - extended sitting hours and cognate bills
The Legal Māori Dictionary – treading a careful path…
On 3 October 2012 Victoria University of Wellington hosted a function to celebrate the re-launch of the Māori Law Review.
Download the Māori Law Review September 2012 (544 KB PDF).
Tēnā koutou kātoa. Ngā mihi maioha ki a koutou.
The Māori Law Review has been a feature of the Māori legal world for nearly twenty years and it is both exciting and daunting to be involved in re-energising this publication. read more
Karena v Pita - Whangaruru Whakaturia 1D9A & 1D10A
[2012] 2012 Maori Appellate Court MB 451 (2012 APPEAL 451)
13 September 2012
Appeals against a decision of the lower Court dismissed. Appellants ordered to pay costs.
Download Karena v Pita - Whangaruru Whakaturia 1D9A & 1D10A here (137 KB PDF).
read more
Jaggard v Carver - Waikawa Village Section 2B 3B Lot 4 and Lot 5 DP 3660
Māori Appellate Court [2012] 2012 Māori Appellate Court 525 (2012 APPEAL 525)
27 September 2012
Appeal dismissed against a decision of the lower Court varying the Trust Order for the Lot 4 and 5 Deposited Plan 3660 Ahu Whenua Trust.
Download Jaggard v Carver - Waikawa Village Section 2B 3B Lot 4 and Lot 5 DP 3660 (93 KB PDF) here. read more