Tribes wrangle over land status

Tainui is backing a bid to control billions of dollars of Auckland land.

The Waikato Tainui-led move would extend the tribe's boundary as far north as Woodhill Forest, beyond Wellsford in Rodney District.

If successful, it could also scuttle the Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngati Whatua, Auckland's main tribe.

Ngati Whatua's multibillion-dollar Treaty of Waitangi claims include millions of dollars of fisheries allocation due this year.

The brewing land dispute comes because Tainui has endorsed a claim by its northernmost iwi, Te Kawerau a Maki, to land stretching from the northern side of the Manukau Harbour to Muriwai Beach in the north and across to the Kaipara Harbour back down to the North Shore.

Te Kawerau a Maki is also claiming large parts of Auckland city, which Ngati Whatua says it has rights to.

Ngati Whatua struck a deal with the Crown in May to negotiate claims covering Greater Auckland.

Te Kawerau a Maki made a presentation to Tainui's executive this week, asking for support from Waikato Tainui for its claim.

Tainui's co-chairman Tuku Morgan said Waikato supported the iwi.

"They gave a presentation supported with official records which undermines Ngati Whatua's so-called claim," said Mr Morgan.

"I am the [tribe's boundary] negotiator. Now we know where our traditional boundaries lie, it will come under our wider claim. The board has been convinced Ngati Whatua are trying to rewrite history.

"I find it offensive that members of Ngati Whatua are trying to rewrite cultural history - history enshrined in court records. This is a historic moment," Mr Morgan said.

"We have title over the whole of Auckland. It has been established that our people have suffered the indignity of propaganda and nonsense over ownership."

He said the claim was a huge tract of land that would leave Ngati Whatua with virtually no coastline.

"It's a great day for Tainui."

He said he was meeting Ngati Whatua to negotiate coastline boundaries as part of the treaty fisheries allocation.

Te Kawerau a Maki chief executive Te Warena Taua said his iwi has strong ancestral links with Tainui.

"We have always identified ourselves as Tainui. There has been ongoing disputes over land. We are the only iwi with sole title in the Waitakeres," Mr Taua said.

"We have always been Tainui's most northern iwi. We guarded the entrance to the north. Ngati Whatua are changing history."

Ngati Whatua Maori Trust Board chairman Sir Hugh Kawharu said he was aware that Te Kawerau a Maki was one of five claimants in southern Kaipara.

He said the Waitangi Tribunal had yet to release a ruling so it would be premature to comment.

He said he knew nothing of Tainui's claims stretching through Greater Auckland.

"The northern shores of Manukau Harbour and up the west coast are Ngati Whatua o Orakei lands," Sir Hugh said.

"We recognise part of the west coast is disputed."

But he rejected Tainui's claims.

"If we manage to rewrite history we rewrite history. If our claim is thrown out [by the Waitangi Tribunal] it gets thrown out."

- NZPA