During the holiday period, Māori Land Court offices will be closed from 3pm, Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will reopen 10am, Monday 5 January 2026.
Due to limited access to the building, the Auckland Information Office is available by appointment only. Please contact us by email at mlctamakimakaurau@justice.govt.nz
To find out more about how to set up a trust, visit
maorilandcourt.govt.nz/your-maori-land/trusts-and-
incorporations/creating-a-trust-or-incorporation/
Types of trustees
The Act recognises 3 types of trustee.
RESPONSIBLE TRUSTEES
Responsible trustees are responsible for:
• carrying out the terms of the trust order
• administering and managing the business of the trust
• preserving the assets of the trust
• collecting and distributing the trust’s income.
The traditional Māori tribal hierarchy and social order made up of hapū (kin
groups) and whānau (family groups), having a founding ancestor and territorial
(tribal) boundaries.
3. A subtribe or kin group that is linked by a common ancestor.
4.
The meeting and its purpose
must be properly advertised.
3. Consult the lessee(s), if any
You must get written consent of your proposal from the
lessee(s).
4.
When the High Court confirms the appointment of an executor to administer the
will of a deceased person, the authority for that person to act is given in a grant of
probate.
3. When the High Court appoints a person to administer the estate of a deceased
person (generally where there is no will or if the will does not name an executor),
the Court’s authority for that person to act is given in a grant of letters of
administration.
4.
When the High Court appoints an administrator, the Court
issues a grant of letters of administration.
4. A grant of administration from the High Court is generally required to enable
the assets of a deceased person to be transferred to those entitled to the assets.
HOWEVER, THE
COURT RETAINS ABSOLUTE DISCRETION AS TO THE TERMS OF ANY OCCUPATION
ORDER.
3. ANY FINAL TERMS OF AN OCCUPATION ORDER ARE THEREFORE SUBJECT TO
APPROVAL AND CONFIRMATION BY THE MĀORI LAND COURT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION 328 OF TE TURE WHENUA MĀORI ACT 1993.
4.
Term Description
1 1.1 Trust Name
1.2 Tipuna Name
1.3 The Beneficiaries of the Trust
2 3.1 The minimum and maximum number of Trustees
3 3.7 and
Schedule 1
Default Trustee duties
4 4.1(b) The frequency of general meetings
6 7.1 The frequency of reviews of trust
MĀORI LAND COURT
STANDARD WHĀNAU TRUST ORDER
1
INTRODUCTION
A.
