The Crown has again stalled the progress of the Ngariki Kaiputahi's claims to the Mangatū Blocks on the East Coast.
Ngariki Kaiputahi spokesperson Rawiri Brown says it's because the Crown does not recognise the authority of the claimants handed down by their ancestors.
“So the recommendation was we won it, and what it means is we can now get a binding recommendation from the High Court judge, but what had taken place is the crown have now appealed it. So that's where we're at, the Crown has appealed our decision,” said Brown.
Ngariki Kaiputahi have been in and out of court on this issue and they have also been made to wait unnecessarily for any traction.
Brown says, “We were hoping that the Crown can see that and look at correcting that injustice, because we're now back to waiting again for Court of Appeal and such, so we're now back to square one I'd say.”
Ngariki Kaiputahi say they will not bow down to pressure because they have all the necessary paperwork, historical notes and genealogy which states their outright authority.
“We are an iwi, we have our own hapū, we're the ancients, and we're the main vein of those ancients, so establishing that means that no other tribe can supersede us,” added Brown.
The appeal hearing is expected to take place next year. It is then envisaged that it will be back again to the High Court following that.