Ririnui Mita: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Ririnui Mita: Whakarewarewa and Roto-a-Tamaheke Vesting Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:658;Page:7569] 
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Labour) 
: 
 Otira hei tuatahi maku. Te Arawa waka na koutou ra i haere tawhiti mai i runga ano i te karanga i karangahia na e koutou i oti ai te huarahi i para nei e koutou mai i nga ra ki muri a tae noa mai ki tenei haora. Tena hoki koutou i te ahuatanga o a tatou mate huhua. E kore taea te wareware tena tangata teitei ra a Tauhauata me taku tuakana i hinga nei i te wiki kua pahemo ake a Arapeta. Koia tetahi na i tautohetohengia ki te Karauna kia tika ai te whakaaro o te Karauna kia tika te hoki mai o nga taonga a Te Arawa na te Karauna i riro i nga ra kua taha ake nei. No reira na runga i tena tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou. 
[ 
Indeed the first thing for me to do is extend greetings to you the canoe of Te Arawa who have travelled here from a distance on a call made by you to bring to a conclusion the path that you set out on in days gone to this hour. I greet you also in respect of our many deaths. Howard that person of immense stature will not be forgotten and neither will my elder kindred Albert who passed away just recently. He was one who persisted with the Crown to get its thinking right and to ensure that the treasures it took from Te Arawa in former times are rightfully returned. So on that I acknowledge you three times over 
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I take the opportunity to acknowledge in the House today the representatives of Te Arawa. It is important that I do that because for them this has been a very long journey a journey that has been very difficult for them. Although the third reading is usually about the legislation before us I want to take this opportunity to speak about the people who brought it to us and brought about this opportunity to return to the people of Te Arawa their ancient taonga. 
As we have heard from the Minister of Maori Affairs the bill in itself is quite complex. I thank him for highlighting the complexities of this particular bill and for acknowledging the difficulties in the process particularly for those representatives of Te Arawa. I do not intend to take a long call because I think this time is their time to hear from as many people in this House as possible. 
I make mention of those who have passed on and there have been many throughout this process. But in recent weeks and recent days it is important that I acknowledge the passing of the son of Te Arawa Sir Howard Morrison and the legacy he left to his descendents and to future generations of Te Arawa. 
I also acknowledge his efforts in ensuring that Maori are recognised on the international stage. That is no small achievement. When we take a look at the bottom of the Pacific Basin see a little iwi called iwi Maori and see what he did for our presence particularly in arts and culture throughout the world and for many of those who followed after him we see that it was quite a significant achievement. There is not much I can say about this very very important person except that he was one of those who believed that the assets of Te Arawa should be returned sooner rather than later. 
I also want to acknowledge the passing of a very good friend my tuakana from Ngati Pikiao and of many other iwi of Te Arawa who passed away recently Arapeta Tahana. He was a former chair of Te Arawa Maori Trust Board the chair of Poutiri Trust the Maori health provider network and also the chair of many land trusts throughout Te Arawa. His passing was certainly a big loss to us. Although he is not mentioned in this legislation I take this opportunity to mention him in this debate. 
We acknowledge today the representatives of Te Arawa and in particular the journey they have been on for not just decades but very many generations. I am sure that those who started out on this incredible journey—some would say it is an impossible journey—are today resting in peace finally. 
Once again I acknowledge the contribution made by the current Minister of Maori Affairs to the completion of the very very important project or transfer should I say. I also acknowledge the former Minister of Maori Affairs and his Cabinet colleagues who thought it was very very important that the Labour-led Government during its time did the right thing by the people of Te Arawa and gave back their taonga outside of the Treaty settlement process. As we say although we do have a Treaty settlement process some matters can be resolved outside of that simply because it is the proper thing to do. 
Once again I congratulate—this is probably the last time I will do so during this discussion—the representatives of Te Arawa; and they are here. I heard the Minister of Maori Affairs mention many names of those in Te Arawa who rightly should be acknowledged but the people I want to acknowledge are here in the gallery today. They are the ones who took responsibility for leading Te Arawa down this pathway. They are the ones who have been severely criticised. They are the ones who have been intimidated in their own rohe. They are also the ones who said that they would not walk away from this because not only have past generations transferred this responsibility to them but future generations expect them to complete it now rather than later. Ki nga pakeke koroua kuia tuakana tuahine mai i te rohe o Te Arawa mai i Maketu ki te Tonga tenei na te mihi ake ki a koutou na koutou nei i whakaoti tenei kaupapa whakahirahira i mahue ake nei i wa tatou tupuna i te wa i a ratou. No reira na runga i tena tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa. 
[ 
To the elders male and female older kin and sisters of the region of Te Arawa from Maketu to the south I acknowledge you. You have completed this great legacy left and created by our ancestors when they were alive. So because of that I salute you all. Well done. 
]