Wai 898, #A67 LAND ALIENATION IN THE ROHE POTAE INQUIRY DISTRICT, 1866–1908: AN OVERVIEW LEANNE BOULTON AUGUST 2011 Commissioned by the Waitangi Tribunal for the Te Rohe Potae Inquiry (Wai 898) THE AUTHOR Leanne Boulton has been employed as a Research Analyst/Inquiry Facilitator at the Waitangi Tribunal since May 2002. She has completed a report on Native Townships in the Whanganui inquiry district (Wai 903, #A39), co‐authored a report on Trusts and Incorporations for the Central North Island Stage 1 inquiry (Wai 1200, #G4) and completed a contextual scoping report on socio‐economic issues for the Tongariro National Park inquiry (Wai 1130, #A57). She has also produced research reports for the Tauranga Moana twentieth century inquiry (Wai 215, #S5 and #S6). In that inquiry she was commissioned to prepare two reports: a socio‐economic and demographic profile of Maori in the Tauranga district, 2001 and a report on the impact of town and country planning on Tauranga Maori communities between 1953 and 1990. Her most recent work is a report on hapu and iwi land transactions with the Crown and Europeans in the Rohe Potae inquiry district, c. 1840–1865 (Wai 898, #A19). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and First Class Honours and a Master of Arts with Distinction in History from the University of Canterbury. Boulton: Land Alienation in the Rohe Potae Inquiry District, 1866–1908: An overview August 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Author ............................................................................................................................................................................. i Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................. x Introduction and overview .............................................................................................................................................. 1 The commission .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Land alienation and statements of claim .......................................................................................................................... 5 Structure of report ......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Sources for policy and legislation ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Sources and methodology for land alienation data ................................................................................................ 11 Overview: Rohe Potae land alienation in a national context ............................................................................. 16 The alienation of Maori land: North Island, 1870–1909 ........................................................................................... 16 The alienation of Maori land: Rohe Potae inquiry district, 1889–1909 .............................................................. 21 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Prologue: The King Country, 1866–1883 ................................................................................................................. 38 1. Preparations for land purchasing in the Rohe Potae inquiry district, 1883–1889 .............................. 59 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 59 1.2 The Crown’s intentions for the Rohe Potae, 1884–1886 ........................................................................... 63 1.2.1 Provisions for Crown pre­emption and restrictions on alienation, 1884 ............................................... 63 1.2.2 Rationale for Crown pre­emption and restrictions on alienation, 1884 ................................................ 65 1.2.3 Provisions for the administration and disposal of Maori Land, 1884–1886 ........................................ 70 1.2.3(a) The Native Land Settlement Bill 1884 .......................................................................................................................... 70 1.2.3(b) The Native Land Disposition Bill 1885/Native Land Administration Act 1886 ......................................... 73 1.2.3(c) The failure of the Native Land Administration Act 1886 ...................................................................................... 77 1.2.3(d) The Native Land Act 1888 and the Native Land Court Act 1886 Amendment Act 1888 ........................ 79 1.3 Maori intentions for the Rohe Potae, 1884–1886 .......................................................................................... 80 1.3.1 Hapu and iwi vision for the Rohe Potae, 1884–1888 .................................................................................. 81 1.3.1(a) Pursuing the package of initiatives and reforms set out in the 1883 petition ............................ 82 1.3.1(b) Sole authority to determine title to, control and dispose of their land .......................................... 85 1.3.1(c) Kawhia Native Committee to be empowered to determine title and manage the land .......... 87 1.3.1(e) Maori would then decide on leasing and/or selling areas of land .................................................. 100 Contents 1.3.2 Hapu and iwi responses to the Crown’s intentions and legislation, 1884–1888 ......................... 103 of 1.3.2(a) Hapu and iwi knowledge of the Crown’s plan for large­scale land purchasing ....................... 104 1.3.2(b) Hapu and iwi understandings about Crown pre­emption and restrictions on alienation .. 111 Table ii Boulton: Land Alienation in the Rohe Potae Inquiry District, 1866–1908: An overview August 2011 1.4 The Crown’s response to Maori aspirations in relation to land in the Rohe Potae, 1884–1886 ..... 115 1.5 Funding for Crown purchasing prior to 1889 ........................................................................................................ 120 1.6 Determining land quality and resources .................................................................................................................. 124 1.7 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................................. 126 2. Land purchasing legislation for the Rohe Potae, 1889–1900 ................................................................... 134 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................... 134 2.2 Crown pre‐emption & restrictions on alienation in the railway restriction zone after 1890 .......... 139 2.2.1 The North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Application Act Amendment Act 1889 ....................... 140 2.2.2 The North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Application Amendment Act 1891 ............................... 142 2.2.3 The North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Application Acts Amendment Act 1892 ..................... 145 2.2.4 The Native Land Purchase Act 1892 ....................................................................................................................... 149 2.2.5 The Native Land Purchase and Acquisition Act 1893 ..................................................................................... 151 2.2.6 The Native Land Court Act 1894 .............................................................................................................................. 153 2.3 Funding for land purchasing after 1890 and the end of the railway loan funding in 1894 .............. 158 2.4 The decision to cease land purchasing, 1897–1899 ........................................................................................... 163 2.5 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................................. 166 3. Developing a plan for the Crown’s purchasing programme, 1886–1889 ............................................. 174 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................... 174 3.2 Crown advances prior to the Court determing title? .......................................................................................... 176 3.3 Monitoring the Native Land Court’s progress ........................................................................................................ 182 3.4 The decision to begin purchasing ................................................................................................................................ 185 3.5 Assessing the prospects for purchasing ..................................................................................................................