The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) is looking into the purchase of one of Northland's offshore jewels - Motukawaiti Island in the Cavalli Islands group - to confirm the sale complies with the Overseas Investment Act.
The investigation was confirmed yesterday by OIO manager Annelies McClure, who said her office was aware
the island - which is the site of a luxury boutique guest house - changed hands in August last year.
The 37ha island in three titles was transferred from the Motukawaiti Island Trustee Company to St Morris NZ.
The sole director of St Morris NZ is Wenning Han, of Auckland.
Motukawaiti Island Trustee Company is directed by Stuart Douglas Robertson, of Auckland, who the Companies Office has listed as a director of 18 other companies.
He is also recorded as the struck-off or ceased director of a further 19 firms and as a shareholder or struck-off shareholder of eight other companies.
The Northern Advocate was unable to contact either of those two directors for comment.
The exact purchase price is unknown. But a mortgagor representative named Haiyan Yang has registered an $11.5million mortgage plus interest over the island in the name of mortgagee Jun Zhang.
The island title also has a caveat in the name of Haiming Jiang with a note that St Morris NZ holds a share of the land in trust for the caveator in terms of a constructive trust.
Bayleys Real Estate had the island listed for sale in 2009 for an undisclosed sum.
It was understood the land agents were acting for Ray Arneson, of Paihia, but he denied that yesterday and declined to discuss his involvement with the island.
The Cavalli Retreat and Spa opened on Motukawaiti in 2006. It has three rooms able to accommodate six people. The tariff is listed on a promotional website as $2500 a room per night plus GST, but Southern Crossings - which takes bookings for the resort - indicated yesterday that the tariff would have to be checked with the owners.
Motukawaiti was first surveyed in 1912 and was subdivided in 1972. It is the second-largest island in the Cavalli group and the only one that is privately owned .
The Cavallis are one kilometre from the mainland or a 10-minute helicopter flight from Kerikeri.
The retreat is set right on the beach just metres from the water. It has 20 staff, an all-tide wharf and floating pontoon and good anchorage.
