subsequent dealings, and providing for the payment of compensation to the persons entitled thereto."
However contacting the owners would be difficult.
In Ohinemuri 7A2 there were five original owners. The prospective successors for two of these original owners number 93, of whom six are probably deceased with no known successors. Nothing is known in the Native Land Court regarding the successors of the other three original owners.
In Ohinemuri 16A2 there were nine original owners, and 12 successors have been appointed to four deceased owners, nothing being known of successors to the other five original owners.
It will therefore be noticed that while there are 105 known successors, many of whose addresses are unknown, these successors do not represent the majority of interests in the blocks.18
Even if they could be contacted, any remedy other than compensation was considered to be difficult.
There are no suitable Crown Lands that could be disposed of in exchange to the Maoris for the area in question, and the only means of redress to the Maori owners is by way of compensation. 19
The Under Secretary in the Native Department concluded that
if there can be agreement that the Maori owners of the land should be given the full value of the land as it now stands, that is the unimproved and the improvements, I could properly ask the Minister to seek Cabinet approval to appropriate legislation.20
The valuations were
Unimproved Value Improvements Total
Ohinemuri 7A2 £162 £153 £315
Ohinemuri 16A2 £285 L470 £75521
The Minister of Lands then approved the passing of legislation and the payment of the capital value (i.e. unimproved value plus improvements) as compensation.22
Cabinet approved the legislation in April 1946.23 As a result Section 14 Native Purposes Act 1946 was passed, which declared Ohinemuri 7A2 and 16A2 to have been Crown Land since
1 March 1879, and required compensation of £315 for Ohinemuri 7A2 to be paid to the Waikato-Maniapoto District Maori Land Board for distribution to the successors to the owners. The money was received by the Board in February 1947.24
17 Under Secretary for Lands to Commissioner of Crown Lands Auckland, 13July 1945. Lands and Survey Head Office file 22/832. Supporting Papers #D20.116.
18 Commissioner of Crown Lands Auckland to Under Secretary for Lands, 23July 1945. Lands and Survey Head Office file 22/832. Supporting Papers #D20.117.
19 Commissioner of Crown Lands Auckland to Under Secretary for Lands, 3August 1945. Lands and Survey Head Office file 22/832. Supporting Papers #D20.118–120.
20 Under Secretary Native Department to Under Secretary for Lands, 24 September 1945. Lands and Survey Head Office file 22/832. Supporting Papers #D20.121.
21 District Valuer Paeroa to Valuer General, 21 November 1945. Lands and Survey Head Office file 22/832. Supporting Papers #D20.122.
22 Under Secretary for Lands to Minister of Lands, 30November 1945, approved by Minister of Lands, 3December 1945. Lands and Survey Head Office file 21/832. Supporting Papers #D20.123–124.
23 Under Secretary Native Department to Under Secretary for Lands, 2 April 1946. Lands and Survey Head Office file 22/832. Suppoting Papers #D20.125–127.
24 Payment Voucher 370037, received 5 February 1947. Maori Land Court Hamilton Block Orders and Correspondence file H1351. Supporting Papers #K91.5.
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