Finlayson Christopher: Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū Claims Settlement Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFinlayson Christopher: Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 31 July 2013. Volume:692;Page:12205. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations):I moveThat the Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū Claims Settlement Bill.There is a well-known saying associated with these hapū: Ka tuwhera a Maungaharuru ka kati a Tangitū. Ka tuwhera a Tangitū ka kati a Maungaharuru. When the season of Maungaharuru opens the season of Tangitū closes. When the season of Tangitū opens the season of Maungaharuru closes. It is a proverb that describes the enduring relationship between these hapū and their rohe and their status as tangata whenua and kaitiaki of the natural resources of their area. This bill is the culmination of several years’ work on the part of the hapū involved and represented in the gallery today. It is intended to settle all remaining historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of theMaungaharuru-Tangitū hapū. The negotiations as one would expect have been hard fought and have included some tough conversations at times but resolution has been reached the deed of settlement signed and the hapū I am sure can look forward to a better future.I want to begin by acknowledging the hard work the commitment and the perseverance on the part of the hapū negotiators especially Bevan Taylor and Tania Hopmans and the support provided to Bevan and Tania by Heitia Hīha and Fred Reti and many others at Tāngoio Marae. I acknowledge those who have passed on without having seen the fruits of their labours as sadly so often happens in Treaty settlement negotiations. Most important I acknowledge the Waitangi Tribunal claimants who have carried the claims of their tīpuna and those who have suffered because of actions or omissions of the Crown.The claims of the hapū relate primarily to war raupatu and Crown land-purchasing methods that left the hapū virtually landless by 1930. The Crown purchased large areas of land from the hapū in the 1850s and 1860s without ensuring that the hapū would always retain adequate reserves in their rohe. In October 1866 the Crown’s military forces unjustly attacked Māori atŌmarunui and Pētane and began to treat the hapū as rebels. Some hapū individuals were detained without trial for nearly 2 years on the Chatham Islands and after they escaped they became embroiled in a war with the Crown during which Crown forces summarily executed some prisoners at Ngātapa in 1869.The Crown confiscated hapū land at Tāngoio North and awarded their land at Kaiwaka to one of its allies who was not a member of the hapū. The Crown’s confiscation process led to the extinguishment of the hapū’s customary titles to nearly all of their other land. The Crown did agree in 1870 to grant this other land to individual members of the hapū and also agreed that this land would be inalienable. However between 1911 and 1930 the Crown unfairly and oppressively purchased nearly all of this land and as I said left the hapū virtually landless.Since the 1880s deforestation and development of pastoral farming has significantly increased erosion and pollution in the takiwā. The health of Lake Tūtira has dramatically deteriorated and the hapū have lost significant fisheries both here and along the coastline. Over the years many hapū family lines died out due to infectious diseases and diseases of poverty such as typhoid and tuberculosis. Although living conditions and Crown health services have improved since 1945 there continues to be a substantial disparity between the health of hapū members and other New Zealanders.The Crown failed actively to protect the hapū from the degradations of war the alienation of their land and the effect of native land laws. The hapū were not able to retain their land maintain it economically or prevent its deterioration. Their health has suffered from the effects of poverty and disease. So today we begin to address the grievances of the past and move with these hapū into the future. I want to acknowledge the newly established governance entity and I certainly wish the trustees well in their representation of the iwi now and in the post-settlement era. I am sure they are going to take up their new challenge with great enthusiasm.This settlement is the basis of a new relationship between the people of the Maungaharuru-Tangitū hapū and the Crown based on mutual trust cooperation and respect for the principles of the Treaty. I am very much looking forward to Mr Henare and his team at the Māori Affairs Committee dealing with this bill and returning it to the House. There are three bills being debated today and he has the Te Tau Ihu Claims Settlement Bill as well to deal with so it is a very busy committee. They are fine members of Parliament who work together well for the benefit of all iwi and I am surethat in his customary exemplary manner Mr Henare will ensure that this bill is progressed through the select committee and returned to the House very quickly.I commend the bill to the House.Hon Shane Jones: Mr Speaker—