This speech will be about my role as a Judge of the Māori Land Court. However, because I became a Judge only a matter of weeks ago, I do not yet have many stories to share with you about my new job.
In his classic book Māori Land Tenure (1977) Sir Hugh Kawharu wrote that the system of Māori land tenure created by the Native Lands Act of 1865 was an ‘engine of destruction for any tribe’s tenure of land, anywhere’ (p 15).
Documents/Guides-Templates-Factsheets/MLC-150-years-of-the-Maori-Land-Court.pdf (11 mb)
Land interests remained in the name of my grandfather and my great-grandmother.
In accordance with tikanga Māori there is no distinction to be drawn between whenua (land) that is dry and land that is covered by the sea.
Documents/Judges-corner-articles/JWI-ACPECT-Presentation-2022.pdf (540 kb)
The land marked ‘accretion’ shows the newly formed land.
If an owner with Māori Land interests is deceased, and a succession has not previously been dealt with by the Court or a Registrar, you can use this form to seek a determination from the Court as to those persons entitled to a deceased’s Māori Land interests and an order transferring the interests to those entitled.
Documents/Forms/MLC-Form-22-Application-for-succession2F.pdf (371 kb)
Currently, the land is held in trust until the owners can receive the land.
To my Māori language, if I am to be completely honest, it was not only my law degree or the experiences I gained in my legal career that led me here today, it was because of you that I now have a position amongst the Māori Land Court judiciary.
After 15 or so years as a corporate lawyer, you can imagine my surprise to have the opportunity to join the Māori Land Court.
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