Introduction
The Wellington Tenths and Palmerston North Maori Reserve Trusts have been established since 1839 and 1866 respectively. The Wellington Tenths and Palmerston Maori Reserve Trusts administer the Reserved Lands on behalf of the land owners and have pursued Waitangi Tribunal claims on behalf of nga iwi o Taranaki mai Te Upoko o te Ika since 1987.
The Trusts are known as ‘Sister Trusts’ because they emanate from the same parents, that being the land and waters at Te Whanganui a Tara. Both Trusts are comprised of etehi o nga hapu/iwi o Taranaki who are mana whenua at Te Whanganui a Tara. This, along with the terms of land exchange that created the Palmerston North Maori Reserves, shows how closely the Trusts are ‘related’ with many owners succeeding to both Trusts. It is important to have an understanding of the ‘whakapapa’ of the Trusts in order to understand the closeness of the relationship they share.
Historical Background
Hapu from Taranaki moved to Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington and Hutt Valley regions) in a series of excursions and migrations dating from approximately 1817 When William Wakefield arrived in Wellington Harbour in 1839 the Taranaki hapu (primarily Te Ati Awa, Taranaki, Ngati Tama and Ngati Ruanui) were settled around the inner Harbour, extending into the outer Harbour, Hutt Valley and South coast regions.
The Tenths reserves scheme involved the division of New Zealand regions into urban and rural sections. The sections were pre-sold in Britain then balloted as settlers immigrated to New Zealand. The Wellington region (known as the Port Nicholson Block) was the first in the country to be subjected to Wakefield’s ‘Tenths Scheme’, followed shortly there-after by Taranaki (the Fitzroy Block). The ‘Wellington Tenths Trust’ is so named in reference to this first contact with colonization.
The origin of the Tenths goes back to the 1839 deed of purchase concluded by William Wakefield on behalf of the New Zealand Company, which promised the chiefs of Wellington that, in addition to retaining their pa sites, kainga, cultivations and mahinga kai: “A portion of the land ceded by them, equal to one-tenth part of the whole, will be reserved by….the New Zealand Company….and held in trust by them for the future benefit of the said chiefs, their families, and their heirs for ever”.
In September 1841, Halswell was instructed on the management of the native reserves by Governor Hobson. The instructions were that the reserves could be leased out subject to certain conditions, and that the rental income from them was to be used for:
• The education and religious instruction of Maori;
• The improvement of the Maori Churches at Te Aro and Pipitea;
• The funding of a dispensary and medical advice;
• The funding of a schoolmaster and school for Maori children.
Evidence presented to the Waitangi Tribunal (2003) recorded that achievement of these aims was patchy at best. Rental income was largely diverted into administration costs for Crown employees, with some paid to European settlers in Taranaki.
The original reserves, set out in the 1844 deed of release, reserved 110 one-acre town sections and 39 country sections of 100 acres. In 1847 Colonel McCleverty assigned to Maori of various pa 45 urban tenths and 3162 acres in rural tenths, in exchange for other original tenths land claimed by settlers. In addition, some 65 urban tenths and 738 acres of rural tenths assigned from the initial deed of purchase for Port Nicholson (Wellington) were confirmed. It is from this assignment that the present land holdings of the Wellington Tenths Trust are derived. Despite the 1839 agreement and the subsequent (post-1840) assumption of this agreement by the Crown, the Native Land Court did not determine the beneficial ownership of the Tenths until 1888.
From 1848 to 1882 the reserves were administered by a Commissioner of Native Reserves. The Public Trustee assumed administration from 1887 to 1923, when it transferred to the ‘Native’ (and subsequently ‘Maori’) Trustee. In 1977, as the result of a Commission of Inquiry into Maori Reserved Lands, Maori owners were given the option of establishing Trusts or Incorporations to manage their own lands. In a consensus decision by the beneficial Maori owners, New Zealand Guardian Trust was appointed as Custodian Trustee (required under the Maori Reserved Lands legislation) along with a group of Advisory Trustees appointed by the Maori Land Court. After a change in legislation in 2007, the Wellington Tenths Trust took over full responsibilities of management of the Trust – no longer being required to have a Custodian Trustee.
Current background
The Wellington Tenths Trust is an Ahu Whenua Trust constituted by the Maori Land Court order of 5 November 1999 pursuant to section 215 of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993, which varied the original trust deed of 1977 and the subsequent variation of the deed, May 1993.
The Trust was established to administer Maori Reserve lands, largely in urban Wellington, although it also administers a rural block in Kaitoke, Upper Hutt. The beneficial owners of the reserves are descendants of hapu of Te Ati Awa, Ngati Tama, Taranaki, and Ngati Ruanui tupuna who were living within the rohe in 1839.
The objective of Wellington Tenths Trust deed identifies the objective of the Wellington Tenths Trust as being: to maintain and develop the reserves to the best financial and social benefit of the descendants of the original owners. Therefore the managing Trustees must look at investments and projects in a holistic way – incorporating cultural, social, spiritual and financial considerations in their decision making. Another responsibility of the Trust is to up hold the Mana Whenua status in the region. This means that the Tenths are involved in many different projects and activities in the Wellington region.
Since gaining rights to exercise self-management, and despite the ongoing prejudicial legislation under which they have been forced to operate, the Trusts have managed their resources in a positive way, growing their value from around $100,000 in the late 1970’s to over $55 million currently. This is an enormous success story, particularly in view of the fact that, for most of their operation the Trusts were denied in legislation equality with other landowners.
Introduction
The Wellington Tenths and Palmerston North Maori Reserve Trusts have been established since 1839 and 1866 respectively. The Wellington Tenths and Palmerston Maori Reserve Trusts administer the Reserved Lands on behalf of the land owners and have pursued Waitangi Tribunal claims on behalf of nga iwi o Taranaki mai Te Upoko o te Ika since 1987.
The Trusts are known as ‘Sister Trusts’ because they emanate from the same parents, that being the land and waters at Te Whanganui a Tara. Both Trusts are comprised of etehi o nga hapu/iwi o Taranaki who are mana whenua at Te Whanganui a Tara. This, along with the terms of land exchange that created the Palmerston North Maori Reserves, shows how closely the Trusts are ‘related’ with many owners succeeding to both Trusts. It is important to have an understanding of the ‘whakapapa’ of the Trusts in order to understand the closeness of the relationship they share.
Historical Background
Hapu from Taranaki moved to Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington and Hutt Valley regions) in a series of excursions and migrations dating from approximately 1817 When William Wakefield arrived in Wellington Harbour in 1839 the Taranaki hapu (primarily Te Ati Awa, Taranaki, Ngati Tama and Ngati Ruanui) were settled around the inner Harbour, extending into the outer Harbour, Hutt Valley and South coast regions.
The Tenths reserves scheme involved the division of New Zealand regions into urban and rural sections. The sections were pre-sold in Britain then balloted as settlers immigrated to New Zealand. The Wellington region (known as the Port Nicholson Block) was the first in the country to be subjected to Wakefield’s ‘Tenths Scheme’, followed shortly there-after by Taranaki (the Fitzroy Block). The ‘Wellington Tenths Trust’ is so named in reference to this first contact with colonization.
The origin of the Tenths goes back to the 1839 deed of purchase concluded by William Wakefield on behalf of the New Zealand Company, which promised the chiefs of Wellington that, in addition to retaining their pa sites, kainga, cultivations and mahinga kai: “A portion of the land ceded by them, equal to one-tenth part of the whole, will be reserved by….the New Zealand Company….and held in trust by them for the future benefit of the said chiefs, their families, and their heirs for ever”.
In September 1841, Halswell was instructed on the management of the native reserves by Governor Hobson. The instructions were that the reserves could be leased out subject to certain conditions, and that the rental income from them was to be used for:
• The education and religious instruction of Maori;
• The improvement of the Maori Churches at Te Aro and Pipitea;
• The funding of a dispensary and medical advice;
• The funding of a schoolmaster and school for Maori children.
Evidence presented to the Waitangi Tribunal (2003) recorded that achievement of these aims was patchy at best. Rental income was largely diverted into administration costs for Crown employees, with some paid to European settlers in Taranaki.
The original reserves, set out in the 1844 deed of release, reserved 110 one-acre town sections and 39 country sections of 100 acres. In 1847 Colonel McCleverty assigned to Maori of various pa 45 urban tenths and 3162 acres in rural tenths, in exchange for other original tenths land claimed by settlers. In addition, some 65 urban tenths and 738 acres of rural tenths assigned from the initial deed of purchase for Port Nicholson (Wellington) were confirmed. It is from this assignment that the present land holdings of the Wellington Tenths Trust are derived. Despite the 1839 agreement and the subsequent (post-1840) assumption of this agreement by the Crown, the Native Land Court did not determine the beneficial ownership of the Tenths until 1888.
From 1848 to 1882 the reserves were administered by a Commissioner of Native Reserves. The Public Trustee assumed administration from 1887 to 1923, when it transferred to the ‘Native’ (and subsequently ‘Maori’) Trustee. In 1977, as the result of a Commission of Inquiry into Maori Reserved Lands, Maori owners were given the option of establishing Trusts or Incorporations to manage their own lands. In a consensus decision by the beneficial Maori owners, New Zealand Guardian Trust was appointed as Custodian Trustee (required under the Maori Reserved Lands legislation) along with a group of Advisory Trustees appointed by the Maori Land Court. After a change in legislation in 2007, the Wellington Tenths Trust took over full responsibilities of management of the Trust – no longer being required to have a Custodian Trustee.
Current background
The Wellington Tenths Trust is an Ahu Whenua Trust constituted by the Maori Land Court order of 5 November 1999 pursuant to section 215 of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993, which varied the original trust deed of 1977 and the subsequent variation of the deed, May 1993.
The Trust was established to administer Maori Reserve lands, largely in urban Wellington, although it also administers a rural block in Kaitoke, Upper Hutt. The beneficial owners of the reserves are descendants of hapu of Te Ati Awa, Ngati Tama, Taranaki, and Ngati Ruanui tupuna who were living within the rohe in 1839.
The objective of Wellington Tenths Trust deed identifies the objective of the Wellington Tenths Trust as being: to maintain and develop the reserves to the best financial and social benefit of the descendants of the original owners. Therefore the managing Trustees must look at investments and projects in a holistic way – incorporating cultural, social, spiritual and financial considerations in their decision making. Another responsibility of the Trust is to up hold the Mana Whenua status in the region. This means that the Tenths are involved in many different projects and activities in the Wellington region.
Since gaining rights to exercise self-management, and despite the ongoing prejudicial legislation under which they have been forced to operate, the Trusts have managed their resources in a positive way, growing their value from around $100,000 in the late 1970’s to over $55 million currently. This is an enormous success story, particularly in view of the fact that, for most of their operation the Trusts were denied in legislation equality with other landowners.