Korako Nuk: Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKorako Nuk: Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 15 March 2016. Volume:712;Page:9777. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]NUK KORAKO (National): E mihi atu ki a koe e Te Mana Whakawā e huri noa i Te Whare nei e kā mema tēnā koutou katoa ā e mihi atu ki a koutou. Nau mai haere mai ki Te Whare Pāremata e Kurahaupō Waka. Tēnei te mihi ki te iwi o Rangitāne o Manawatū; nō reira tēnā koutou e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.[Greetings to you Mr Assistant Speaker and to members throughout this House. I acknowledge you all. Welcome draw closer to Parliament House the canoe of Kurahaupō and the Rangitāne tribe of Manawatū; so welcome and my congratulations to you all.]I take a short call on this first reading of the Rangitāne o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill. I also want to acknowledge the incredible manaaki that was given to us when we came to the marae of Te Hotu Manawa o Rangitaane o Manawatu where the first signing took place. Kia ora Rangitāne. It is really interesting because what I saw there and what I felt was actually your whakataukī “Tini whetū ki Te Rangi ko Tāne-nui-ā-Raki ki te whenua.”—which basically means “As the multitude of stars in the sky so great is Rangitāne on the earth.” When we talk about that it is that we need to look back to actually move forward. So when this bill will come to the Māori Affairs Committee it is that process that starts here. It goes to its first reading second reading Committee stage third reading and then passes into law.Just to touch on a few of the main points here particularly the historical perspective the Crown’s dealings with Rangitāne began in 1843. The Crown acted without ever consulting with Rangitāne—and we see this commonality again with the New Zealand Company. It is acknowledged also that most of the claims by Rangitāne under the commission to investigate the involvement of land that was meant to be sold to the New Zealand Company were rejected. We talk about within this those sites of significance—wāhi tapu sites as well particularly Raukawa Pā and in particular the Awapuni Lagoon. Within that being addressed are the Rangitīkei-Manawatū Blocks and so on.I think one thing travelling across the rohe or the takiwā of Rangitāne is a reflection of what was done to Rangitāne o Manawatu particularly around that policy of granting individual titles. What that did—again as part of this “divide and conquer” policy—was actually around eroding the traditional tribal structures which is reflected today in the number of marae that are actually situated or located across Rangitāne. This billwill help in some ways to address the rebuilding of your marae. As we have found in Kāi Tahu there are opportunities here now. We will never ever be able to give full restitution—we know that—but at least this is a start.On that note can I acknowledge all of the rakatira all of the iwi of Rangitāne o Manawatu—those who have actually taken Rangitāne o Manawatu on this journey and to here. One of the major milestones is to bring this bill to the House for the first reading. Nō reira e Kurahaupō Waka me Te Iwi o Rangitāne ka nunui te mihi e mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.[And so to you the canoe of Kurahaupō and the tribe of Rangitāne I commend you highly and congratulate you all.]I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.