Five foreshore and seabed claims lodged

Five claims for customary rights orders over parts of the coastline have now been lodged with the Maori Land Court under the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

The Justice Ministry yesterday publicly notified and called for submissions on two of the claims.

The first, on behalf of Te Whakatohea Iwi, is seeking rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga -- authority and guardianship -- over a 50km stretch of Bay of Plenty coastline east of Whakatane.

The claim was lodged earlier this year.

The second is by a southern group called Te Makati whanau, which is asking for kaitiakitanga over an area of Southland coast between Chaslands Mistake and Wallace Head.

A Maori Land Court spokesman said three other claims had also been lodged, but he was unable to immediately provide the details.

A spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen said the claims were all for customary use rights and the law clearly stated that no court decision could bar anyone else's access or use of the sections of coastline under claim.

But the Government was upset earlier this year by the Maori Land Court's decision earlier this year to hear the Te Whakatohea Iwi claim.

Under the Foreshore and Seabed Act claimants can claim customary rights to an area if they can show specific and continual use since 1840.

Any claims for guardianship must be negotiated with the Crown.

The spokeswoman said it was not yet clear what kind of guardianship rights were being claimed.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said earlier this year the application, by claiming authority and guardianship, appeared wider than the Maori Land Court could make a ruling on.

New Zealand First said Chief Maori Land Court Judge Joe Williams had overstepped his authority by agreeing to hear the claim.

Government officials have said they will watch the case closely and will appeal if the judiciary interprets the law more widely than it was intended.

Members of the public have until November 25 to make submissions on the two claims.

The claims also seek customary rights relating to the harvesting of naturally occurring of food resources.

- NZPA