The Ngati Whatua agreement: Righting a century of injustice

Yesterday's agreement is a major step in the history of Ngati Whatua o Orakei, which went from controlling a resource-rich area to becoming virtually landless within 100 years.

* March 1840: After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Ngati Whatua o Orakei paramount chief Te Kawau, driven by the prospect of trade and protection from warlike neighbours, invites Governor Hobson to move the capital to land within his tribe's boundaries.

* September 1840: The British flag is raised at a point now at the top of Queen St as Auckland becomes New Zealand's capital. Ngati Whatua o Orakei pay £341 for about 3000 acres of land for a township to be established. The sale of this land pays for the infrastructure for the new township. (Six months later, just 44 acres of that land is resold by the Government to settlers for £24,275.)

* 1858: Ngati Whatua donate land at Orakei to the Anglican Church for a chapel and school.

* 1859: Takaparawha Pt given to the Crown for a defence post against feared Russian invasion. More settlers arrive, prompting sale of thousands of acres by Ngati Whatua to the Government and, for a short time, to private settlers.

* 1864: 700-acre Orakei block, the papakainga of the hapu set aside by Te Kawau in 1840 to be reserved in tribal ownership forever, was the last remaining tribally owned land.

* 1869: The Native Land Court Declaration divides tribal land into individual titles, awarded to 13 people, legally disinheriting the majority of the 100-strong hapu.

* 1885: The Government builds a fort on Bastion Pt, instead of Takaparawha Pt.

* 1886: Public Works Act 1882 used to take ownership of 13 acres of Bastion Pt for defence purposes. (Land was later transferred to the Auckland City Council for reserve when no longer needed in 1941.)

* 1886: Chief Tuhaere lodges claim for £5000 compensation. Court orders the Crown to pay £1500. Amount exhausted on legal costs and expenses.

* 1908: Special act of Parliament passed to take land at Okahu Bay so a sewer pipe can be laid across the beach in front of the Ngati Whatua village.

* 1914: Many people leave village when sewage begins discharging, polluting shellfish beds and turning the village into a swamp in heavy rain.

* 1912-1950: Crown begins purchasing individual blocks from tribal members. Some sell on the understanding they can continue to live in houses on the land. They are evicted.

* December 1914: Government has acquired 460 acres, with remaining land taken under the Public Works Act. Crown claims it is in the public interest that the land should be used for a new housing development.

* 1951: The Crown compulsorily takes remaining 12 acres. Okahu Cemetery is the last hapu-controlled land. Hapu's response includes eight actions in the Maori Land Court, four in the Supreme Court, two in the Court of Appeal, two in the Compensation Court, six appearances before commissions or committees of inquiry, and 15 petitions to Parliament seeking the restoration of tribal land ownership. All fail.

* 1952: The Government wants the old village on Bastion Pt for a park. The remaining inhabitants are evicted and relocated as tenants to state houses in Kitemoana St.The marae and some homes are destroyed by fire with the remains of the village and marae demolished. One reason given is that the village is "a dreadful eyesore and potential disease centre" on the route the Queen will take on her official visit.

* 1976: The remaining Crown-owned land at Bastion Pt is earmarked for high-income housing and parks.

* January 1977: Some of the hapu, calling themselves the Orakei Maori Action Committee, occupy Bastion Pt. The occupation lasts 506 days.

* May 25, 1978: The Government sends in a massive force of police supported by the Army to evict them.A total of 222 protesters are arrested and a temporary meeting house, buildings and gardens are demolished.

* 1987: Waitangi Tribunal Report.The Government agrees to the tribunal's findings, with $3 million paid to Ngati Whatua o Orakei to assist it with housing and other development.

* 1991: The Orakei Act is passed recognising the rights of Ngati Whatua o Orakei under the Treaty of Waitangi. It returns to Ngati Whatua o Orakei an area of hapu land, part of which cannot be sold or leased, to be used for a marae, a church and an urupa (graveyard). An area of whenua rangatira, a Maori reserve, is set aside for the benefit of the hapu and the people of Auckland, jointly managed by the Auckland City Council and the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Trust Board.The act hands back to the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Trust Board as hapu land some lands which were going to be used for roads.While the settlement is "full and final", the trust board is still able to negotiate settlement of any other outstanding claims it may have in the Auckland area.

* 2002: The Crown recognises Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board as mandated group to negotiate remaining claims.

* June 2006: Agreement in principle signed.