Taranaki Māori Trust Board - Historical Background
In the context of the significance of the decisions before the current members of the Taranaki Māori Trust Board (“Trust Board”), it is important to briefly reflect and acknowledge the long history of Trust Board and the significant role it played over the years in supporting Māori kaupapa in Taranaki.
Formally established on 22 September 1930 under the Native Land Amendment Act and Native Land Claim Adjustment Act 1928, the inaugural members appointed by Order in Council (“OIC”) were:
The Trust Board was subsequently reconstituted and its membership was increased to 6 members by OIC in May 1931. Those members being:
The Taranaki Māori Claims Settlement Act 1944 provided for an annual payment of £5000 and a one-off payment of £300 for Parihaka to be made, and in 1956 the 8 constituent Taranaki iwi formally constituted under the Māori Trust Boards Act 1955 as beneficiaries. The following 7 member Board was appointed in June 1956:
Internal tension grew regarding representation issues and the basis of allocation of funds, which was not population based but by comparative confiscation. This tension dissipated once the value of funding reduced and it became irrelevant.
It was estimated by Dr J L Robinson in 1990 (updated in 1992), based on the CPI, a £5000 payment in 1931 should have risen to $56,858 in 1975. There have been no other increases beyond the $10,000 to $15,000 increase of 1977, where the annual payment has remained.
The Taranaki Māori Education Trust (“Education Trust”) was established in 1961 and seeks to promote vocational and higher education of members of the Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, or Ngāti Maru tribes. Education grants rose from £2000 in the 1960s to $12,000 in the late 1970s, $18,000 in 1989, and $46,650 in 1991. Education grants continued to be administered by the Trust Board until 2013, when the decision was made to focus on the review of the future of the Trust Board and put the administration of education grants on hold until there was a clear view about what the Trust Board and Education Trust role would be going forward.
Throughout the year numerous petitions on behalf of the Trust Board were made to Parliament regarding an increase from £5000 to £10000, non-payment of annuity during the depression and the lack of land for Taranaki Māori.
In the 1970s the Trust Board specifically petitioned and sought the following:
TMTB also sought $10 million compensation in place of the $15,000 per annum annuity. The Labour Government at the time appears to have given serious consideration to the claims, but after the National (Muldoon) government were elected in late 1975 the Vesting Bill was promptly dropped from the government’s programme until Taranaki Maunga was “returned” to the people of Taranaki in 1978 by way of the Mount Egmont Vesting Act 1978.
The Mount Egmont Vesting Act provided for the following:
While much of the broader context surrounding the enactment of the Mount Egmont Vesting Act 1978 is still to be unravelled and better understood, significant tension arose again for the Trust Board regarding its lack of mandate and agreement by the people of Taranaki. It was suggested that the political climate of 1975 was such that the Trust Board felt it was necessary to perform a gesture of goodwill designed to create a more favourable environment within which a monetary settlement could be negotiated.
It was following the Mount Egmont Vesting Act 1978 that support and confidence in the Trust Board began to dwindle. Opposition to the Trust Board continued through to the negotiation of claims from Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, Taranaki, Ngāruahine, Ngā Rauru, and Ngāti Te Whiti. It was following the release of Kaupapa Tuatahi Taranaki Report that the 8 iwi of Taranaki made the decision to establish their own separate iwi entities to negotiate the respective claims of those iwi.
Without wanting to gloss over the many supporting roles that the Trust Board played in Taranaki over the years, it is pretty clear that with the establishment of separate iwi entities in Taranaki to negotiate and then settle claims with the Crown has impacted on the ongoing role of the Trust Board in Taranaki in this context.
Over the years the Trust Board has been fortunate to have been served by some of the great leaders in Taranaki and it is appropriate that we acknowledge those who have lead the Trust Board to this point, as the Trust Board embarks on the next phase of its journey:
In the context of the significance of the decisions before the current members of the Taranaki Māori Trust Board (“Trust Board”), it is important to briefly reflect and acknowledge the long history of Trust Board and the significant role it played over the years in supporting Māori kaupapa in Taranaki.
Formally established on 22 September 1930 under the Native Land Amendment Act and Native Land Claim Adjustment Act 1928, the inaugural members appointed by Order in Council (“OIC”) were:
- Rangihuna Pire (Chair);
- Sir Maui Pomare;
- Wi Kupe Raungaiti;
- Tupito Maruera; and
- Rima Wakarua
The Trust Board was subsequently reconstituted and its membership was increased to 6 members by OIC in May 1931. Those members being:
- Rima Wakarua;
- Tupito Maruera;
- Pouwhareumu Toi;
- Tukotahi Tokotaua;
- Hapi Love Wi Tako; and
- Nohomairangi Te Whiti.
The Taranaki Māori Claims Settlement Act 1944 provided for an annual payment of £5000 and a one-off payment of £300 for Parihaka to be made, and in 1956 the 8 constituent Taranaki iwi formally constituted under the Māori Trust Boards Act 1955 as beneficiaries. The following 7 member Board was appointed in June 1956:
- Te Whareraupo Tamou (Ngā Rauru);
- Hana Tamaka (Ngāti Ruanui);
- Teri Edwards (Ngāruahine);
- Tahurangi Pihopa (Taranaki);
- Pehimana Tamati (Te Atiawa);
- Hamiora Raumati (Ngāti Mutunga);
- Potete Hotu (Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Maru)
Internal tension grew regarding representation issues and the basis of allocation of funds, which was not population based but by comparative confiscation. This tension dissipated once the value of funding reduced and it became irrelevant.
It was estimated by Dr J L Robinson in 1990 (updated in 1992), based on the CPI, a £5000 payment in 1931 should have risen to $56,858 in 1975. There have been no other increases beyond the $10,000 to $15,000 increase of 1977, where the annual payment has remained.
The Taranaki Māori Education Trust (“Education Trust”) was established in 1961 and seeks to promote vocational and higher education of members of the Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, or Ngāti Maru tribes. Education grants rose from £2000 in the 1960s to $12,000 in the late 1970s, $18,000 in 1989, and $46,650 in 1991. Education grants continued to be administered by the Trust Board until 2013, when the decision was made to focus on the review of the future of the Trust Board and put the administration of education grants on hold until there was a clear view about what the Trust Board and Education Trust role would be going forward.
Throughout the year numerous petitions on behalf of the Trust Board were made to Parliament regarding an increase from £5000 to £10000, non-payment of annuity during the depression and the lack of land for Taranaki Māori.
In the 1970s the Trust Board specifically petitioned and sought the following:
- The return of Taranaki Maunga;
- Two tangata whenua representatives on the Park Board (one from the Trust Board and one to represent traditional owners); and
- official recognition of ‘Taranaki’ as the name for the Park and mountain.
TMTB also sought $10 million compensation in place of the $15,000 per annum annuity. The Labour Government at the time appears to have given serious consideration to the claims, but after the National (Muldoon) government were elected in late 1975 the Vesting Bill was promptly dropped from the government’s programme until Taranaki Maunga was “returned” to the people of Taranaki in 1978 by way of the Mount Egmont Vesting Act 1978.
The Mount Egmont Vesting Act provided for the following:
- Title to Taranaki Maunga being vested in the Trust Board; and
- By means of the same Act, it was immediately passed back to the Government as a gift to the nation.
While much of the broader context surrounding the enactment of the Mount Egmont Vesting Act 1978 is still to be unravelled and better understood, significant tension arose again for the Trust Board regarding its lack of mandate and agreement by the people of Taranaki. It was suggested that the political climate of 1975 was such that the Trust Board felt it was necessary to perform a gesture of goodwill designed to create a more favourable environment within which a monetary settlement could be negotiated.
It was following the Mount Egmont Vesting Act 1978 that support and confidence in the Trust Board began to dwindle. Opposition to the Trust Board continued through to the negotiation of claims from Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, Taranaki, Ngāruahine, Ngā Rauru, and Ngāti Te Whiti. It was following the release of Kaupapa Tuatahi Taranaki Report that the 8 iwi of Taranaki made the decision to establish their own separate iwi entities to negotiate the respective claims of those iwi.
Without wanting to gloss over the many supporting roles that the Trust Board played in Taranaki over the years, it is pretty clear that with the establishment of separate iwi entities in Taranaki to negotiate and then settle claims with the Crown has impacted on the ongoing role of the Trust Board in Taranaki in this context.
Over the years the Trust Board has been fortunate to have been served by some of the great leaders in Taranaki and it is appropriate that we acknowledge those who have lead the Trust Board to this point, as the Trust Board embarks on the next phase of its journey:
- 1930-1932 Rangihuna Pire (Ngāruahine)
- 1932-1934 Tupito Maruera (Ngāti Ruanui)
- 1934-1936 Rima Wakarua (Ngā Rauru)
- 1936-1940 Nohomairangi Te Whiti (Taranaki)
- 1940-1942 Hapi Love Wi Tako (Te Atiawa)
- 1942-1945 Maui Onekura (Ngāti Ruanui)
- 1945-1953 Teri Edwards (Ngāruahine)
- 1953-1966 Hana Tamaka (Ngāti Ruanui)
- 1966-1982 Pehimana Tamati (Te Atiawa)
- 1982-1988 Hamiora Raumati (Ngāti Mutunga)
- 1988-1994 Te Pono Whakaruru (Ngāti Maru)
- 1994-2007 Edward Rongomaiira Tamati (Te Atiawa)
- 2007-2009 Huirangi Waikerepuru (Ngāti Ruanui)
- 2009-2011 Mike Neho (Ngā Rauru)
- 2011-2017 Tokatumoana Walden (Taranaki)
- 2017-present Wharehoka Wano (Te Atiawa)