Ngati Kuri holds off on settlement
Thursday 3rd November, 2011
Northernmost iwi Ngati Kuri has shied at the post and stayed away from today's initialing of draft Muriwhenua treaty settlements at Parliament.
Te Rarawa initialed its deed, while Te Aupouri exchanged letters of intent and Ngai Takoto observed but did not sign.
Ngati Kuri chair Harry Burkhardt says his iwi is pushing to have parts of Cape View Station near Ngataki returned to it, rather than being included in Te Aupouri's package.
“There's a whole story round the origins of Ngati Kuri around Whareana which a battle site/ pa site on the edge of the Cape View farm and it has huge cultural importance in Ngati Kuri,” he says.
Mr Burkhardt says Treaty negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson met with Ngati Kuri kaumatua and kuia at Ngataki yesterday to outline the Crown's position, but further negotiations will have to wait until after the election.
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