A defiant Maori sub-tribe plans more action on a big Far North cattle and sheep station it says is the subject of a dishonest and unacceptable Treaty of Waitangi settlement process.
Some whanau within Ngati Aukiwa hapu want the valuable 2275ha Stony Creek station, 10km south of Mangonui,returned to them by the Crown instead of the farm being handed back to a local trust board representing six hapu.
The Crown and Ngati Kahu ki Whangaroa Trust Board have signed an agreement proposing that Stony Creek, a former Landcorp property now held by the Office of Treaty Settlements, and 770ha of other land and historic sites, should be returned to local Maori via the trust board.
The Ngati Aukiwa group, who lay claim to native and customary title to the farmland, oppose the deal and last month engaged a forest contractor to fell and harvest pine trees on the station.
The Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS) stopped the felling and called in the police. Spokesman for the Ngati Aukiwa whanau, Wilfred Peterson jnr, said about 200 trees were cut and OTS was expecting a financial return once costs had been taken out.
"It's not about money. It's about continuing action on the farm. We've got other work coming up at Stony Creek. I can't say what it is but it won't be illegal," Mr Peterson told the Herald.
The tree cutting had been a challenge to the land's title.
Mr Peterson is among 11 whanau members scheduled to appear in Kaitaia District Court next month on charges of trespassing on Stony Creek land. A High Court hearing involving the same charges is also pending.
OTS deputy director Peter Galvin said the office is the legal owner of Stony Creek and only it could engage contractors to work on the land.
