Ohinemuri District: Ohinemuri 16

On the application of the Crown,9 the Court in October 1887 separately defined the interests the Crown had purchased in Ohinemuri 16A. It awarded the Crown Ohinemuri 16A1 of 164 acres 2 roods, leaving the 9 non-sellers with Ohinemuri 16A2 of 452 acres 2 roods.10

The partition was plotted on a survey plan, which showed that Ohinemuri 16A had a true area of 632 acres 2 roods. The Crown's award was increased in area to 180 acres, while Ohinemuri 16A2 retained its ordered area of 452 acres 2 roods.11

Ohinemuri 16A1 was declared Crown Land in August 1888.12

Ohinemuri 16A213

In April 1944 the Lands and Survey Department discovered that Ohinemuri 7A2 and 16A2 Blocks were not Crown Land as had previously been supposed to be the case. While they had been thought to be Crown Land, certain dealings in the land, including freeholding and leasing, had been actioned by the Crown.

Only legislation could rectify the situation. Section 14 Native Purposes Act 1946 declared Ohinemuri 7A2 and 16A2 to have been Crown Land since 1 March 1879, and required compensation of £755 for Ohinemuri 16A2 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 1947.14

9 Native Minister to Chief Judge Native Land Court, 27 January 1886. Maori Land Court Hamilton Miscellaneous Papers file Mu. Supporting Papers #L4.41.

10 Hauraki Minute Book 29 pages 233–234. Supporting Papers #J25.14–15.

Order of the Court (Ohinemuri 16A1), 4 October 1887. Maori Land Court Hamilton Block Orders file H811. Supporting Papers #K57.106–107.

Order of the Court (Ohinemuri 16A2), 4 October 1887. Maori Land Court Hamilton Block Orders file H1353. Supporting Papers #K92.2.

Assistant Surveyor General to Under Secretary Native Department, 11 May 1888. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1889/268. Supporting Papers #B69.60. Hamilton Maori Land plan 3416(2). Supporting Papers #N127.

12 New Zealand Gazette 1888 pages 899–900. Supporting Papers W21.2–3.

13 The declaration of this block as Crown Land is covered more fully in the section on Ohinemuri 7A2.

14 Payment Voucher 370037, received 5 February 1947. Maori Land Court Hamilton Block Orders file H1351. Supporting Papers #L91.5.

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