Wellington's waka to stay in Lower Hutt

Wellington's waka, Te Raukura, is not to be returned to the city. File photo / Sarah Ivey

Wellington's waka, Te Raukura, is not to be returned to the city, instead it will stay in Lower Hutt, the Wellington City Council agreed last night.

The waka had been destined for the new $11.5 million Wharewaka o Poneke on Wellington's waterfront, which opened on February 6 without Te Raukura - the waka it was purposed-built to house.

Instead now a new waka will be built for the Wharewaka.

This comes after an agreed settlement between the council and Te Runanganui o Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, who have held the waka at the Waiwhetu Marae in Lower Hutt.

Te Raukura was commissioned and paid for by the council in 1990, however the vessel suffered water damage to the hull and was temporarily moved to Waiwhetu Marae for restoration.

Te Runanganui o Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika has agreed to reimburse the council $150,000, which the council said will be used to purchase a new waka for the Wharewaka.

Under the terms of the settlement, payment is to be made within 28 days of last night's agreement. The council will formally abandon its proceedings in the High Court once the payment is received.

While Mayor Celia Wade-Brown had previously said the council was committed to returning the waka to the city, the alternative to the agreement, a drawn-out and expensive court battle, would not be in the interests of ratepayers.

This is obviously not what was originally intended when we initiated court proceedings. The new proposal is a circuit-breaker to end the protracted dispute," Ms Wade-Brown said.

We prefer to make a clean start and, in the end, it will mean another waka for Te Whanganui a Tara."

Sir Ngatata Love, Chair of the Te Wharewaka o Poneke Charitable Trust, said the settlement is a good result.

This will further reinvigorate and strengthen the presence of waka on the harbour.

- NZ HERALD STAFF