Maori land promise

Press, 13 December 1986, Page 16

Maori land promise

NZPA Wellington The Government has promised Maori land claims would not be prejudiced by the StateOwned Enteprises Bill. The Waitangi Tribunal had questioned whether the bill was contrary to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and told the Government to prove its rights to land ownership before transferring land to the new corporations. A report by the tribunal said Maori customary rights to some land recorded as farm land may not in fact have extin-

guished. If the State-Owned Enterprises Bill were enacted, it could prejudice Maori people’s chances to claim the land back through the tribunal. The tribunal recommended that the Minister of Lands, Mr Wetere, exclude far north land from the block transfer of Crown land to the proposed forestry, land and other corporations. However, when the bill was reported back to Parliament, the chairman of the Government Administration Committee, Ms Fran Wilde (Lab.,

Wellington Central), said the Government would ensure Maori land claims would not be prejudiced by the bill and amendments would be made in a supplementary order paper. One clause in the bill had also been substantially rewritten to take account of third parties. Maori land leased to the Crown through the Minister of Forests would be protected by forbidding the transfer of leasehold to a state enterprise, she said.