Source: New Zealand Government
Whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te whenua.
Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka has acknowledged the Māori Trustee and Te Tumu Paeroa for 100 years of protecting whenua for future generations at a celebratory event held at Parliament.
“Landowners endured an arduous road that led to the establishment of the Native Trustee, now known as the Māori Trustee,” Mr Potaka says.
“I want to congratulate Dr Charlotte Severne for her ongoing leadership and to thank all those at Te Tumu Paeroa for the service they provide in protecting and enhancing whenua for generations.”
Over the past year, Te Tumu Paeroa held 325 hui with landowners, received almost 16,000 enquiries, distributed $5.4 million on behalf of trusts, and supported more than 1,700 whenua Māori trusts and other entities.
“It’s critical that landowners are supported to develop their capability for realising social and economic aspirations for their whenua.”
Te Tumu Paeroa is the Office of the Māori Trustee and provides professional trustee services to support the Māori Trustee to fulfil her statutory and other legal duties, responsibilities and functions, Mr Potaka says.
After a long period of land confiscation, the Native Trustee was set up in 1920 to help Māori manage the remaining land they had so that they could be more sustainably self-sufficient.
“Under the influence of Tā Apirana Ngata, the Native Trustee funded a series of large land-development schemes in rural areas. This is still very much part of the function of our current Te Tumu Paeroa.
“I acknowledge all the Māori Trustees and the kaimahi who have contributed to this important mahi over the past 100 years.”
