Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka has acknowledged the Māori Trustee and Te Tumu Paeroa for over 100 years of protecting whenua for future generations.
The centenary was celebrated at an event in Parliament last night.
Although it has been 104 years since the Māori Trustee was established, Potaka’s media contact thought the 100-year celebration had been delayed due to Covid-19.
Te Ao Maōri News asked Te Tumu Paeroa to confirm but has not heard back yet.
“Landowners endured an arduous road that led to the establishment of the Native Trustee, now known as the Māori Trustee,” Potaka said.
The current Māori Trustee Dr Charlotte Severne (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tūhoe) was appointed in 2018.
Severne’s role is to administer Māori freehold land and other assets on behalf of beneficial owners. She also accepts appointments from the Māori Land Court and from MLC appointed trustees to provide agency services for owners or a trust.
Te Tumu Paeroa is the Office of the Māori Trustee and it supports the Māori Trustee in her statutory and legal duties and other responsibilities.
It also supports the Trustee to provide other services for Māori such as agency services.
After a long period of land confiscation, the Native Trustee role was set up in 1920 to help Māori manage the remaining land they had so that they could be more sustainably self-sufficient.
Potaka said under the influence of Tā Apirana Ngata the Native Trustee funded a series of large land-development schemes in rural areas and this is still part of the function of the current Te Tumu Paeroa.
“It’s critical that landowners are supported to develop their capability for realising social and economic aspirations for their whenua,” Potaka said.
“I want to congratulate Dr Severne for her 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 nearly 16,000 enquiries, distributed $5.4 million on behalf of trusts, and supported more than 1,700 whenua Māori trusts and other entities.
“I acknowledge all the Māori trustees and the kaimahi who have contributed to this important mahi over the past 100 years,” Potaka said.
