The compensation award was not made until 11 November 1948.35 At the Maori Land Court hearing the Crown was represented by Mr Gumbly, a district land purchase officer, and Cooney appeared for the Maori owners. Gumbly submitted that the Crown and district valuers had agreed that £133.1.3. should be paid for the land taken. In addition £20 would be paid for the right of way over Mangatawa 2, and £5 for the right of way over Papamoa 2 Section 7A. Cooney said that while he agreed with the values submitted by Gumbly, the owners were concerned about making the quarry safe for stock by fencing it off, and were also worried that stock might get onto the main road via the right of way. In reply, Gumbly said that the Public Works Department undertook to fence the quarry and to maintain cattle stops on the access to the main road.
The judge then awarded the following amounts as compensation:
Block
Area (acres roods perches)
Purpose
Compensation
Mangatawa 2
5a. 1r. 11.6p.
Quarry
£150.0.0
Mangatawa 2
0a. 3r. 05.3p.
Easement
£23.0.0
Papamoa 2 Sec 7A
0a. 0r. 13.3p.
Easement
£6.0.0
Cooney, Lees & Morgan
Costs
£3.3.0
Total
£182.3.0
The minutes record no explanation of why the amounts awarded were higher than those agreed on by Cooney and Gumbly. One explanation could be that interest since the time that the taking was gazetted was included in the final award. The compensation for each block is roughly equivalent to the valuation submitted by Gumbly, plus 5% interest for 2 1/2 years.
The court also directed that the compensation should be paid by the Public Works Department to the Maori Land Board for distribution to the owners.
Quarry Rights - 1958
The 1950s were a period of rapid growth in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. During this time numerous public works were undertaken to construct and develop the local infrastructure. As well as extensive reading construction and upgrades, the major development was the planned construction of the international shipping port at Mount Maunganui, which included extensive reclamation of land. Most of these developments were supplied with the necessary rock and fill from the Mangatawa quarry, and by the mid-1950s the Public Works Department wished to enlarge the Mangatawa quarry operation.
Again, in the absence of the Ministry of Works files, this report can only provide an outline of the transaction made, but the records that do exist clearly suggest that the owners of the land were opposed to the Ministry’s plans. It is likely, should the head office files be located, that a very interesting history would be revealed. The following section is largely compiled from minutes of the Maori Land Court hearing
35 Tauranga Minute Book vol 16, fols 60-61, 11 November 1948
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