Far North iwi says welcome but coast is ours

By TONY GEE


A Far North iwi has launched a campaign welcoming people to a dozen popular public beaches it says have belonged to it for hundreds of years - and always will.

Ngati Kahu, centred in Doubtless Bay and the Karikari Peninsula northeast of Kaitaia, is mounting what it says is an educational campaign on the foreshore and seabed issue aimed at local residents and summer visitors.

A public notice in Northland newspapers today from Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngati Kahu says everyone is welcome to enjoy the named beaches with its people, in the same way iwi members have always been happy to share them with all New Zealanders.

Beaches named in the notice include the popular holiday spots of Tokerau, Taipa, Coopers Beach, Cable Bay, Hihi, Rangiputa, Puheke, Karikari, Matai Bay and Perehipe.

Another Far North iwi, Te Rarawa, plans to erect a line of pouwhenua, or marker poles, about 1km apart, stretching from the north side of the Hokianga Harbour up to Ninety Mile Beach to assert its customary ownership of coastal foreshore and seabed there.

Ngati Kahu says its continued ownership is necessary so the beaches will always be protected and never sold so free access is guaranteed for future generations.

Its public notice says if the iwi's ownership ended there would be nothing to stop any government from changing the law again to sell the beaches to private owners. Shorter versions of the newspaper notices will be given out in leaflet form.

Ngati Kahu leader Dr Margaret Mutu said 3000 leaflets had been prepared for distribution on beaches.

The iwi says title to its foreshore and seabed has never been investigated and the present law, the Maori Land Act, allows Maori to have their ownership recognised through a Court of Appeal decision this year which upheld iwi rights to take the matter to the Land Court.

Meanwhile, the Waitangi Tribunal agreed yesterday to an urgent hearing next month on Maori customary rights to the foreshore and seabed.

It will take place at a six-day meeting starting at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on January 20.