Ngāti Maru and the Crown sign Agreement in Principle

The Crown and Ngāti Maru have signed an Agreement in Principle to settle the historical Treaty claims of Ngāti Maru, the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little announced today.

Ngāti Maru are an iwi in the Taranaki Region with about 1000 registered members at the last census. The Ngāti Maru area of interest extends eastward from Mount Taranaki to the upper Whanganui River. Today’s agreement paves the way for future negotiations towards a comprehensive Deed of Settlement between the Crown and Ngāti Maru.

“Negotiations with Ngāti Maru began in earnest last year and I am delighted to have signed this agreement with them today,” the Minister said.

“In 1865 the Crown’s confiscation of land in Taranaki took half of Ngāti Maru’s traditional rohe from them. This action was compounded by further land loss through the Crown’s actions and omissions and led to Ngāti Maru becoming almost completely landless.”

The agreement includes a total value of financial and commercial redress of $30 million. It outlines, in broad terms, the shape of a future settlement which is to be negotiated in the coming months.

A copy of the Agreement in Principle is available on-line at: www.govt.nz/treaty-settlement-documents/ngati-maru-taranaki/