Ririnui Mita: Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Ririnui Mita: Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:623;Page:18394] 
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Minister of State) 
:  
A kai te maunga Titohia tena koutou. Tena koutou i haere tawhiti mai i te mata o te whenua na runga i te kaupapa o te ra kia whakatutukihia hoki tenei kereme o koutou. Na runga i taua korero kua hoki mai ra te kawanatanga ki tana ukaipo kia whakatutukihia hoki nga taimahatanga kai runga kai a koutou kia watea ai te huarahi ki mua. No reira tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa. 
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Indeed my greetings to you all and the mountain of Titohia. Greetings to you who have travelled some distance to witness the introduction of this bill which will eventually see this claim of yours under the treaty passed into law. As a result of what was stated before the Government has returned to its seat of power to settle the encumbrances upon you and in doing so clear the way forward for you. So greetings to you and to all of us 
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I just want to acknowledge the presence in the House today of representatives of Nga Rauru Kitahi and to acknowledge the very very long journey to have this outstanding claim settled. At the same time I acknowledge their great mountain maunga Taranaki te maunga Titohia. 
Nga Rauru Kitahi have longstanding claims against the Crown. Regardless of the statements made by the National Party spokesperson on Maori affairs nothing new has been said in this House today and there is nothing in this bill that many of us around the country do not already know. I want to make clear the history of Nga Rauru Kitahi particularly as it pertains to the muru raupatu o Taranaki. This bill will end those claims and provide a platform on which Nga Rauru Kitahi and the Crown can build a relationship of mutual trust and cooperation. 
The history of Nga Rauru Kitahi is filled with regrettable actions by the Crown in the 19th century. Those actions contributed to the dismantling of nga raurutanga and resulted in much loss of life and property for Nga Rauru Kitahi during the Taranaki wars including the lives of defenceless children killed by Government militia at Handley’s woolshed in an unprovoked attack. Nga Rauru Kitahi became virtually landless. In 1865 the Crown confiscated a third of Nga Rauru Kitahi land under the powers of the New Zealand Settlements Act of 1863. The confiscation was indiscriminate in extent and application. Land was taken from those who were loyal to the Crown as well as those who were deemed to be rebels. In response to the confiscations Nga Rauru Kitahi supported acts of passive resistance. In 1881 the Crown invaded Parihaka with more than 1500 armed troops. Men women and children were expelled from the settlement their leaders were imprisoned their crops were burnt and their homes were destroyed. 
This bill records that the confiscation of Nga Rauru Kitahi land was wrongful and in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi. It also records the elements of the Crown’s purchase of the large block known as Waitotara which was also in breach of the treaty. The bill acknowledges that the west coast commissions set up in 1880 to inquire into confiscated lands were inadequate in their scope and did not fully address the injustices suffered by Nga Rauru Kitahi. In fact those commissions compounded the prejudice suffered by Maori in Taranaki that had arisen from earlier confiscations. The land returned through the west coast commissions process was then vested in the Public Trustee and leased in perpetuity or sold. 
The acknowledgement by the Crown of the injustices suffered by Nga Rauru Kitahi is long overdue. I therefore commend the Government for introducing a bill to this House that contains a formal apology to nga tupuna o Nga Rauru Kitahi and to nga uri o Nga Rauru te Kitahi for the breaches of the treaty acknowledged by the Crown. In this bill the Crown unreservedly apologises to Nga Rauru Kitahi for actions that have caused them hardship and suffering up to the present day. 
The bill records that Nga Rauru Kitahi have pursued their claims for redress and compensation from the Crown with vigour and fortitude over the past 150 years. I join my colleague the Hon Mark Burton in commending the individual kaumatua members and negotiators of Nga Rauru Kitahi who have demonstrated commitment leadership courage and integrity in achieving a settlement of the claims of Nga Rauru Kitahi. I say courage because it is a huge responsibility for this generation of Nga Rauru Kitahi to end the pursuit of their claims and accept redress that we all know is less than the total loss they suffered. 
This final and comprehensive settlement is an important milestone for Nga Rauru Kitahi and for the Crown. The settlement redress will provide Nga Rauru Kitahi with resources to assist them in revitalising their nga raurutanga. The settlement will assist the Crown to restore its honour and assist both parties to move forward together as treaty partners. 
I am encouraged by the fact that in negotiating the settlement Nga Rauru Kitahi have expressed a desire to establish a forum to provide for an ongoing relationship with the Crown. That has been done through the establishment of a paepae rangatira or a chief-to-chief forum. The forum will assist in contributing to the development of an ongoing and positive treaty relationship. Nga Rauru Kitahi have established a new governance entity Te Kahui Rauru to represent all 12 marae of Nga Rauru Kitahi. The trustees have pledged to uphold and be guarded by manaakitanga rangatiratanga whanaungatanga kotahitanga wairuatanga mana whenua kaitiakitanga whakapapa reo and matauranga. 
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respect principality kinship solidarity spirituality authority over the land guardianship genealogy language and knowledge. 
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Their vision is to live as Nga Rauru Kitahi to enjoy good health and equality of lifestyle to foster unity and to enable their people to embrace the Nga Rauru Kitahitanga. I offer my best wishes to Nga Rauru Kitahi for their future. Koina te korero ko Rauru Kitahi e!Tena koutou! 
[ 
So that isthe statement and it is Rauru Kitahi indeed!Greetings to you! 
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