What contemporary land alienation in Horowhenua looks like

Veronica from Levin

Te Whena Lewis of Ngati Wehi Wehi says land secured in 100 year leases by his grandfather's daughter in the early 1900s has been sold to land and property developers in Horowhenua instead of being returned to the rightful owners.

"Kareana Te Whena was the last 100 year leaseholder. The land my grandfather owned went from the foot of the Tararua Ranges to the high tide mark at the beach, and that’s all along,” he said.

"My grandfather back in his day never sold any land. Hence the 100 year leases that were put in place."

He says the injustice has resulted in the suppression of the economic rights and advancement of the rightful owners.

"And it has to do with the land, specifically with the land,” he said.

He says land covered by the 100 year leases already sold for "Greenbelt residential" housing development includes "Strathnaver” developed by the Pritchard Group at the southern end of Waikawa Beach and another growing development inland at Emma Drive.

Of the two developments only the Pritchard Group development has been included in Council's Horowhenua Growth Strategy 2040, adopted last year, and its predecessor the 2008 Horowhenua Development Plan.

The Emma Drive housing sub-division, and all the other "Greenbelt residential" housing growing like topsy along the south western corridor between Manakau and Waikawa Beach, has not been included in either the 2008 development or the current 20 year growth strategy in what can only be described as a deliberate omission.

Mr Lewis said the Emma Drive development proceeded despite the land being protected by reserve status because it was an ancient swamp "thousands of years old and covered in Kanuka trees."

He also claims the Pa committee received $64,000 for approving the resource consent for land development at Strathnaver and Emma Drive.

"But where’s the money?”

Marae committee members of Te Kotahitanga o Te Iwi o Ngati Wehi Wehi signed a Memorandum of Partnership (MOP) with the Council on 12 November 2012 after lodging a Treaty of Waitangi claim in 2008 on behalf of “themselves” and Ngati Wehi Wehi.

The information is on the Ngati Wehi Wehi website.

"There is a reason why they [the pa committee] signed that memorandum with the Council. To allow pakeha to take over after the 100 year leases were up."

“They have nothing to do with the old people, yet they have made decisions as if they are. They are only a Pa committee.

“Kareana Te Whena – that’s my grandfather. They aren’t related to me," he said.

When he tried to get his whakapapa back that had been archived by the Marae committee he was told it had been, "water damaged and was destroyed."

"Now all of a sudden they are out there doing all these land deals.”

“The Marae committee have used this knowledge to financially benefit themselves. They should have left all that information. Now they have made it their future."

"And all of a sudden from Wehi comes, ‘my, me, myself.’ They only think about themselves," he said.

Ngati Wehi Wehi also supported the resource consent application submitted by Levin registered surveyor’s Truebridge Associates in March 2015 for Wayne Bishop Investments Limited staged 500 new build Speldhurst Lifestyle Estate on the outskirts of in Levin township.

Wayne Bishop Investments Ltd is owned by Horowhenua district councillor Wayne Bishop.