Farmer goes on holiday as land claimants move in

A big Far North sheep and cattle station is effectively in the hands of a sole security guard after a Maori group occupying shearers' cottages on the property gave a trespass notice to the farm manager on Christmas Eve.

The occupation is the latest in a series of protests by individual groups of Maori this month.

The manager of the 2275ha Stony Creek block, who was given 21 days to leave, departed for a planned Christmas holiday, although he is expected back later this week.

Farm staff are also away, leaving a security guard to keep an eye on thousands of head of sheep and cattle.

The guard is checking the property regularly and will contact an Office of Treaty Settlements property manager in Wellington if any problems are found, an OTS spokeswoman said yesterday.

"The farm has not been abandoned," said OTS policy and negotiations manager Esther King.

Stony Creek station, 10km south of Mangonui, is a former Landcorp property landbanked by OTS in 1995 for potential use by local Maori under a treaty claim still being negotiated by representatives of Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa Trust Board and the Crown.

But a local hapu, Ngati Aukiwa, oppose the trust board's mandate.

Hapu spokesman Wilfred Peterson said they believe there is unextinguished native aboriginal title to the Stony Creek block and they want to see evidence of a bill of sale.

A group of about 20 adults and children moved into the property's shearers' quarters on Thursday.

A trespass notice given to the long-serving farm manager purports to be authorised by Ngati Aukiwa and warns people to stay off the land. Ngati Aukiwa say they will stay put until OTS addresses their concerns.

The farm manager could not be contacted yesterday.

Mangonui police senior constable Shaun Palmer said the occupation was peaceful and police were monitoring the situation.

Maori restiveness

December 23: About 20 members of the Northland hapu Ngati Aukiwa begin occupation of shearers' cottages on a 2275ha cattle and sheep station about 10km south of Mangonui.

December 23: At Delaware Bay, north of Nelson, local Maori dump large boulders across a road to a disputed piece of foreshore. An anonymous local uses a tractor to move the rocks the following day.

December 21: A small group of Maori were sent packing by police after seeking koha from drivers crossing a road bridge near Matauri Bay.

- additional reporting: Jon Stokes