Historic Maori remains decision due

The Tasman District Council plans to ask the Office of Treaty Settlements to help pay for work which might see remains lying in a historic Maori burial site relocated.

However, it is unclear what the role of the Office of Treaty Settlements is in relation to the work. A spokesperson for the government agency says it is too early to tell.

The district council has been asked by the office to either remove the remains of about 70 Maori ancestors from the urupa, which a section of Abel Tasman Drive in Wainui Bay is built over, or build a new piece of road.

The council has not budgeted for the work in its 10-year plan and says options for work on the road will cost between $169,800 and $379,200.

Once the council had decided what option to take, sources of funding would be investigated, said council transportation manager Gary Clark.

The sources could include the Office of Treaty Settlements, the New Zealand Transport Agency or even iwi, he said.

Ngati Tama requested the issue be sorted out as part of historical Treaty of Waitangi claims. The iwi's top of the south chairman Fred Te Miha said the remains should be exhumed and buried in an entirely new cemetery.

At yesterday's engineering services committee meeting, discussion by councillors on the issue was brief.

Tasman district councillor Noel Riley said he "presumed" there had been consultation with iwi over the issue.

He asked if iwi had been made aware of the estimated costs and whether it had a preference for what happened to the urupa.

Council engineering manager Peter Thomson replied that the council had not yet talked to iwi about the issue and the council had only dealt with the Office of Treaty Settlements.

He said the council would go back to the office with the costings and "gauge their reaction".

Councillor Trevor Norriss said any talks with iwi should take place "before long" and Mr Riley said he was happy to act as as negotiator.

Office of Treaty Settlements deputy director Peter Galvin confirmed the issue had been raised in negotiations with Ngati Tama to address historical Treaty claims.

"No proposals or decisions have been made," he said.

Mr Galvin said the removal of artefacts was governed by the Protected Objects Act.

The Office of Treaty Settlements negotiates settlement of historical Treaty of Waitangi claims with Maori claimant groups on behalf of the Crown.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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