The Crown has signed a deed of settlement with Rangitane o Manawatu settling the iwi's outstanding historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced today.

'Rangitane o Manawatu has been working towards settlement with the Crown since 1998, when Tānenuiarangi Manawatu Incorporated gained a mandate to represent the iwi in negotiations,” Mr Finlayson said.

'Today's signing is an important milestone and marks the beginning of new relationship between the iwi and the Crown.”

Rangitane o Manawatu's grievances include the 1859-1866 Crown purchase of over 500,000 acres of land in which Rangitane o Manawatu had customary interests. Due to the cumulative effect of Crown purchases and native land laws, by 1992 Rangitane o Manawatu retained ownership of only a fraction of their former lands.

The settlement provides an acknowledgement, apology and redress for the Crown's historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi and the long-term effects of these breaches.

Rangitane o Manawatu receives financial redress of $13.5 million as well as the transfer of and right of first refusal over specified Crown properties and land. Cultural redress includes the vesting of 11 Crown-owned sites, statutory acknowledgements and protocols with Crown agencies.

The settlement redress will be administered by the Rangitane o Manawatu Settlement Trust, elected by iwi members as the Post-Settlement Governance Entity.

'The Crown can never fully compensate Rangitane o Manawatu for the loss and prejudice it has suffered,” Mr Finlayson said.

'This settlement provides a base for Rangitane o Manawatu to build a brighter future for their people.”

A copy of the deed of settlement is available here.