THE honouring of a long-ago promise will see 180 Maniapoto iwi members ride the railway to Wellington for the final reading of the Maniapoto Claims Settlement Bill next Thursday.
The reading is the last legal hurdle before the settlement becomes law and redress is in the hands of post settlement governance entity, Te Nehenehenui Trust (TNN) – the Crown will hand back cultural and historical sites and assets taken out of tribal control by the Crown together with cash compensation for ongoing breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Ōhaki Tapu, and interest accrued on the agreed compensation since official signing of the Deed of Settlement in November last year.
The cost of the train tickets is completely covered – not by Te Nehenehenui Trust, nor the iwi members who’ll be taking the train, but by way of koha from the Crown to tribal leaders Wahanui and Rewi Maniapoto at the time of the detailed 1880s agreement Te Ōhaki Tapu, which allowed the Crown to put the main trunk line through the King Country. Each were gifted medallions – passes they could present to ride the trains for free and forever.
Since KiwiRail has a component in the settlement (the main trunk line sits on Maniapoto land), the response to presentation of the “tickets” by KiwiRail chief executive Peter Riedy and executive team member Olivia Poulson was “great”, TNN establishment director Sam Mikaere said. “They were completely open from the get-go, and we’re really pleased,” Sam said.
By the response of iwi members to the trust’s invitation to register for the train to settlement, the people were every bit as enthusiastic.
Within a short time, 680 people had registered for the 180 places aboard, with what Sam described as good representation from whanau across the rohe.
Now the trust is in conversation to decide who rides the train, while buses will be put on as well, he said, as the intention is that as many as want to attend can do so.
TNN is working with Te Arawhiti and Te Puni Kōkiri to house up to 650 people in Wellington, and should the public gallery at Parliament prove insufficient space for all to witness the Parliamentary proceedings on the day, special provisions have also been made. “If 1000 people show, the Sky Event Centre will be livestreaming Parliament.”
The formal Crown apology, as part of the settlement, will be delivered by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and fellow dignitaries directly to the iwi at Te Kūiti Pa on December 4, the day after the 150th celebration of wharenui Te Tokanganui-a-noho.
