Ngati Aukiwa defy eviction from sheep station

02 February 2005

A group of up to 50 people from Ngati Aukiwa who have been occupying a Far North sheep and cattle station since December 23 have resisted attempts to evict them.

An order to leave was given last week by police and staff from the Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS), but it expired on Saturday.

The group has occupied the Stony Creek sheep and cattle station, known as Waikohatu, 10km south of Mangonui, since December 23 in dispute of the mandate of the local Ngatikahu Ki Whangaroa Trust Board to negotiate on their behalf. Ngati Aukiwa believe they hold unextinguished native aboriginal title to the station.

Spokesman Tamati Roha said the group had remained on site in a shearer's cottage and although they expected a further visit from authorities this week, they were staying put.

"We're not going anywhere. We'll meet them at the gate," Mr Roha said.

OTS acting director Dean Cowie had earlier said there would be no talking about the group's issues while they were occupying the farm and he confirmed the OTS would now ask the police to intervene.

"We've done all we can as landlords. We've now told the occupiers that they have the chance to leave voluntarily," he said. "We've tried to get them to do that and they clearly aren't going to do so."

Far North Police Area Commander Mike Rustbatch said he was waiting for word from the OTS as to what action they wanted police to take. The OTS holds the land-banked property on behalf of the Crown until finalization of ongoing negotiations regarding local Treaty of Waitangi settlement claims.

But Ngati Aukiwa disputes the Maori trust board Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa's negotiating mandate and opposes the inclusion of their claims in negotiations with the Crown.