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Regional | Chris Finlayson

Ngāti Hine meet with Treaty Settlements Minister

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hine has long served the needs of its people in areas such as health, social welfare right through to forestry.

According to Te Waihoroi Shortland, “Ngāti Hine continues to uphold its mana, its language so that Ngāti Hine can indeed carry its own interests.”

Treaty Minister, Chris Finlayson met with Ngāti Hine members on Saturday, where they told the minister of the rūnanga's capacity to represent its own hapū treaty interests. Waihoroi Shortland says the minister left promising to consider their concerns and to respond in turn.

With the passing of the Māori Fisheries Act in 2004, Ngāti Hine was able to withdraw from Te Rūnanga-a-Iwi o Ngāpuhi and be recognised as a separate iwi in order to receive their share of the fisheries settlement assets.

Ngāti Hine has already submitted their claim, expressing concerns about the Crown's recognised treaty mandated authority for Ngāpuhi, Tūhoronuku to the Waitangi Tribunal.

A response whether or not the claim will be heard is still pending, however, Ngāti Hine's grievances will be heard as part of the Paparahi o Te Raki Inquiry sitting in August.