Water rights ruling backed

Northland Maori leaders have welcomed the Waitangi Tribunal recognising Maori have residential proprietary rights over particular areas of water.

The tribunal has called for the Crown to settle with Maori before it sells shares in three power-generating companies up for partial privatisation.

The Government fears disruption to the timing of sales of these assets, but Te Rarawa Runanga chairman Haami Piripi said he didn't think reaching agreement with Maori would take long.

He agreed with a tribunal suggestion of company shares and compensation for the use of taonga and he urged the Government to continue to work with the Land and Water Forum and freshwater iwi leaders group.

Te Kotahitanga o nga Hapu Ngapuhi co-chairman Pita Tipene said the water findings highlighted the need for the tribunal to release its report on stage one of its Te Paparahi o Te Raki inquiry.

"These water issues come back to He Whakaputanga [the 1835 Declaration of Independence], the Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Ngapuhi never ceding sovereignty."

Mr Tipene emphasised that Maori did not want to go to court to settle their proprietary rights to resources.

"As long as talks [with the Crown] are held in good faith we will get somewhere," he said.

Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi chief executive George Riley said his initial response to the tribunal report was to support hapu holding mana whenua water interests.

"Historical records relating to the kainga of Poroti and the taonga of Omapere reiterate the long battle of Ngapuhi people to achieve the proper recognition of our interests in water," he said.

However, Mr Riley said the water exercise reminded Ngapuhi of the fishing permit proposals of the mid-1980s.

Ownership of springs at Poroti have been vested in hapu and Whatitiri Maori Reserve Trust chairman Taipari Munro last week called for all applications to take water from the springs to go on hold following the tribunal's findings.

The trust is contesting a resource consent application by an Auckland company, Zodiac Holdings, to take water for an exporting business. The application before the Northland Regional Council is being heard by a commissioner, Rob van Voorthuysen of Napier, who has given Zodiac until September 28 to reply to new evidence.

He may then close the hearing and would have 15 days to issue his decision.