3 Mar 2014

Ngati Hine takes settlement stand

7:41 pm on 3 March 2014

Northland hapu Ngati Hine has voted to pull out of the planned settlement for Ngapuhi.

The sub-tribe's people passed a resolution during the weekend to withdraw from the Tuhoronuku mandate, which is run by the Ngapuhi runanga.

Ngati Hine is planning to seek its own package from the Crown, saying it could not commit to a Ngapuhi one-size-fits-all settlement as it would be neither just nor durable.

Hapu chair Waihoroi Shortland says support for Tuhoronuku is so low in the Bay of Islands that not a single marae or hapu has been asked to host a mandate roadshow.

Meanwhile, Ngapuhi kuia Titewhai Harawira is urging tangata whenua to attend a series of hui on the mandate, starting on Tuesday.

The hui will report back to Ngapuhi on what the mandate means, how people can participate and, according to Mrs Harawira, dispel any myths.

The information hui will be held throughout March in Te Tai Tokerau, as well as in Sydney and Perth.