31 Jul 2014

Ngaruahinerangi to sign settlement

6:51 am on 31 July 2014

A South Taranaki tribe will sign its treaty settlement on Friday with majority support from the iwi.

Last month Ngaruahinerangi initialled its deed of settlement at Parliament, leaving iwi members to vote on whether to accept an offer of commercial and cultural redress.

Of the 3,000 members registered with the iwi just under 1000 people voted, and 90 per cent of those who cast their ballots said 'yes' to the Treaty settlement package.

Chief Treaty Negotiator Daisy Noble said after four years of negotiations she is proud her tribe is supporting all the hard work it has done to get this far.

She said the Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson has now approved the ratification of the deed of settlement.

Mrs Noble said she is able to officially report that there was an overwhelming majority of those who voted were in favour of the Ngaruahinerangi Treaty Settlement.

A small group from Wellington and other iwi members from around the country will be attending the signing ceremony at Mawhitiwhiti Kanihi Pa near Hawera on Friday.