First came the Treaty settlement; now an internecine battle within Tuhoe over forestry rights to a 2,100 hectare Matahi forestry block valued at some $9.4 million, with allegations of intimidation to silence critics of disputed logging operations.
In 2017, Tuhoe received Matahi forest, some forty kilometres from Whakatane, in part settlement of its historical Treaty of Waitangi claims.
Treaty settlement assets were transferred to a custodial trustee company controlled by Tuhoe.
Some descendants of Ngai Tama Tuhirae from Omuriwaka marae, a hapu within Tuhoe, claim Matahi forest as their own; customary Maori land, over which they have absolute control, they say.
The High Court was told Tuhoe took exception to clandestine logging operations within Matahi forest with sections of the forest felled and logs trucked away, apparently under supervision of Omuriwaka marae members.
Contractors ignored requests to stop logging operations. They also ignored a Tuhoe trespass notice.
Justice McQueen imposed a temporary restraining order, halting logging and requiring all heavy equipment be removed from the forest, pending a court hearing to consider Omuriwaka’s claims.
Tuhoe told the High Court some members of the marae claim they hold ‘aboriginal title’ to the forest, stating this gives them the status of Maori customary ownership to the exclusion of Tuhoe’s registered land ownership.
They have intimidated both members of their own marae and Tuhoe management challenging their claim to customary ownership, Tuhoe says.
Evidence was given that similar claims to customary ownership of Matahi forest by Omuriwaka members were dismissed by the Maori Land Court back in 2017.
Tuhoe-Te Uru Taumatua Trust v. Mason – High Court (21.02.25)
25.070