The Crown has reached a significant milestone in negotiations with Taranaki Maori.
It has signed agreements with three tribes aimed at reaching settlements for past wrongs including arrests, exile, plundering and land confiscation.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson hopes the agreements will help the healing process, after much delay.
"Nothing really has happened for a long time, but I am very keen to move on and both the iwi and the Crown have been working very hard on these settlements for about 18 months."
The next step is a deed of settlement, which will include an official apology.
