A significant report from the Waitangi Tribunal into the injustices suffered by the Ngāpuhi tribe will strengthen their case as they aim to restart their halted Treaty settlement negotiations, according to a tribal leader. The report, known as the Northern Inquiry, covers the land loss, military conflict, and Treaty breaches endured by the Ngāpuhi, the largest tribe in Northland, between 1840 and 1900. The nearly 2000-page document was presented to representatives of each of Ngāpuhi’s seven sub-tribes in a ceremony. The report will aid the tribe in their negotiations and settlement of their historical claims. The key recommendations from the Tribunal include an apology from the Crown, the return of all Crown-owned land within the inquiry district to Māori ownership, and further compensation to restore the economic base of the sub-tribes and compensate for economic losses caused by Treaty breaches. The Tribunal also called on the Crown to discuss with Northern Māori to determine suitable constitutional processes and institutions at national, tribal, and sub-tribal levels to implement their Treaty rights.
