WHANGANUI Maori were yesterday compensated for their land that was vested in the Crown a century ago.
The Atihau Whanganui Incorporation (AHI), which administers 80,000 acres for its 7000 shareholders, reached the landmark settlement at Parliament with a payment of $23.5 million.
A $3 million payment in 2006 to resume one farm was part of the total $26.5 million full and final settlement, and which is not part of any Waitangi Tribunal land claims.
On Friday, the incorporation shareholders packed the Wanganui Racecourse Eulogy Lounge to hear Mr Blackburn deliver the good news, and that the compensation would slash AWI's $31.5 million debt.
However, the mood was muted, possibly because the shareholders, not used to hearing good news, did not fully comprehend what they were hearing.
Some shareholders stood to acknowledge those who first petitioned government: "The vision and values of our kuia and koro, who have gone beyond the veil," and "their foresight to look into the future to protect the lands for future generations".
In the early 1900s, the Maori Land Administration Act was initiated and Whanganui River Maori vested 115,209 acres of undeveloped land in the Crown.
The period was for two 21-year leases, and the land was supposed to be developed in that time by the lessees.
However, the administration membership changed from predominantly Maori to Pakeha, and when a compensation clause was introduced, it favoured the lessees.
Legislative changes and the way the leases were administered made it impossible for Maori owners to reclaim their land until recently.
AWI chairman Dana Blackburn said the incorporation struggled from the 1970s to 2000 to resume lands and manage debt, but for the "courage of the committee of management in 2004, Rody McGregor, Meterei Tinirau and Nohi Wallace". Resuming the lands created another set of problems, Mr Blackburn said.
"A number of the farms came back to the incorporation in terrible condition and have needed millions more spent on them.
"One 5000-acre block was divided into just four paddocks and had not had any fertiliser put on it in 80 years," he said.
Over the past three years, the buy-back of leases and the capital expenditure required to bring the farms up to proper production had so far cost the incorporation more than $30m, Mr Blackburn said.
"Today's settlement with the Crown will go a long way to paying off that debt, as well as allowing the incorporation to implement a significant farm development plan.
"We have substantial plans for the future that will eventually allow our people to benefit from the progressive thinking of our tupuna over a century ago."
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