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Array
(
    [entityType] => ITEM
    [entity] => Array
        (
            [contextId] => aims
            [description] => Array
                (
                    [0] => The box files in this series contain copies of evidence relating to Land Commissioner's reports into the validity of private purchases from Maori, as well as other land status investigations, historical research and records relating to the Royal Commission into the Maori Courts. The records appear to have been boxed at some time in the 1970s, as some of the earliest-numbered boxes date from 1979, but the contents of most relate to investigations and land transactions at a much earlier period.
                )

            [id] => 23642
            [idSort] => 23642
            [name] => Auckland Crown Lands box files - land claims commissions and petitions re Maori land
            [custom] => Array
                (
                    [custom5] => The box files contained a range of formats, some fastened together into files, some in envelopes, some loose, folded together or pinned together. One box contains extremely fragile glass plate negatives, from which prints have been made.
                )

            [identifier] => Array
                (
                    [priref] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => 30100
                        )

                )

            [digitalRecordInArchive] => 
            [hasBeginningDate] => Array
                (
                    [normalizedValue] => 1970-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => approximate
                            [1] => yearOnly
                        )

                )

            [hasEndDate] => Array
                (
                    [normalizedValue] => 1980-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => approximate
                            [1] => yearOnly
                        )

                )

            [hasOrHadCategory] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Files
                            [type] => SeriesFormat
                        )

                    [1] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Loose Papers
                            [type] => SeriesFormat
                        )

                    [2] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Photographic Positives
                            [type] => SeriesFormat
                        )

                )

            [history] => 

	The records in this series include copies of evidence collected for the Old Land Claims Commission, indexes to Old Land Claims plans and claim numbers, notes on individual claims, papers relating to the Houston Commission in 1907, the Royal Commission into Confiscated Lands 1927, also known as the Surplus Lands Commission, copies of petitions from land claimants, records from the Surplus Lands Commission (or Royal Commission on Surplus Lands) of 1946-1948, the Takapau Petition of 1939, the Opua petition of 1939,  the Omapere Lake case of 1929, the 1957 hearings regarding Ninety Mile Beach, the 1950 Royal Commission into Te Karae, the Church Mission claims at Paihia, the Royal Commission on Orakei Lands in 1938 (including a few later papers and photographs relating to Bastion Point in 1968 and 1978) , the Royal Commission on the Maori Courts 1978-1979, reports of the Native Affairs Committee, and other inquiries into petitions regarding land claims and land confiscation. A few boxes contain assorted papers on other matters relating to land administration, such as reports on the Kauri gum industry.

	Box files 61-77 contain typed copies of evidence for individual claims, indexed by claimant and block, and cross-referenced to plan number in item 2d (nominal index to claim numbers, Old Land Claim plans and scrip plans, also listed and described in series 23646). The alternative record number for these items is the same as the OLC number in Turton's Deeds, volume 3 - the Head Office OLC number, cross-referenced also in A1708/2e

	One related item was found at the Hocken Library in 2016 - this can be identified by its accession number (A1888)

	Old Land Claims

	

	The first alienations of Maori land to Europeans occurred through sale for gifts or money, purchase by the Crown, or confiscation by the Crown after military action. On 14 January 1840 the Governor of New South Wales proclaimed that direct purchase of land from Maori was forbidden, that all subsequent sales must be through the Crown, and that all land purchased prior to this date would be investigated by a Land Claims Commission. All persons having claims to the land were to submit their claims, together with any supporting evidence, to the Commission. The commissioners would recommend whether a Crown Grant should be issued. If the whole land was not awarded by the Commissioner, any land remaining was to be declared Surplus Land, and was the property of the Crown, the Government having decreed that as the Maori had extinguished the title of his own free will, the land now had no owner.

	

	The British Government declared in its Proclamation of 1840 that no title in New Zealand would be recognised unless issued by or confirmed by Grant in the Queen's name.

	

	In 1844 Governor Fitzroy found his Government lacked funds to purchase enough land from the Maoris for resale to settlers, so agreed to waive the Crown's right of pre-emption for the payment of 10 shillings per acre to the Government, later reduced to 1 penny per acre, but this was stopped under Governor Grey. Land purchases by these settlers were also later examined by the Land Claims Commissioners, and were called Pre-emptive claims.

	

	In 1862 the Native Land Act terminated the Crown's pre-emptive right of acquisition, instead delegating the Native Land Court the authority to approve sales of Maori land. The original records of the Land Claims Commissions were deposited in the Lands and Survey Department in 1881, and transferred to National Archives Wellington in 1960. The records held by the Auckland office appear to be copies produced for later enquiries.

	

	See also Turton's Deeds, published copies of information gathered by H H Turton between 1877 and 1882 relating to Maori Land sales. (Available to view in the Auckland office - ask the archivist on desk).

	

	Volume 1: Maori Deeds, North Island, Auckland - shows transcripts of documents relating to Government purchase of Maori land prior to 1877, as well as (part 2) plans relating to the transcripts in part 1 

	

	Volume 2: Covers Taranaki, Wellington and Hawke's Bay (not held in Auckland office)

	

	Volume 3: Maori Deeds of Old Private Purchases in New Zealand, 1815-1840, with Pre-emptive and Other Claims - shows transcripts of the Deeds of Sale by the purchases prior to 1840. These are the instruments provided as evidence by the Claimants to prove their title. It includes Commissioner Bell's report about the Old Land Claims, and a return of the claims settled since his report. 
            [isAssociatedWithDate] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [type] => HoldingsYears
                            [hasBeginningDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [type] => YearStartHoldings
                                    [normalizedValue] => 1858-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => exact
                                            [1] => yearOnly
                                        )

                                )

                            [hasEndDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [type] => YearEndHoldings
                                    [normalizedValue] => 1979-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => exact
                                            [1] => yearOnly
                                        )

                                )

                        )

                )

            [isAssociatedWithPlace] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Auckland repository
                        )

                )

            [itemType] => Series
            [rdfType] => recordSet
            [recordIsMissing] => 
            [ricClassification] => NUMERICAL
            [ricClassificationDescription] => The boxes are arranged in numerical order. Each box contains records relating to a particular investigation into land status, and boxes relating to the same investigation were grouped together and numbered in sequence
            [seriesAccessContacts] => 

	Archives New Zealand, PO Box 201103, Auckland Airport, Manukau 2150
            [seriesRestrictionReason] => 

	Photographs need to be handled with care and may need special equipment. To protect the record, the method of copying will be at the discretion of Archives New Zealand.

	Negatives and glass plate negatives have restricted access due to preservation reasons related to their format or technical requirements. Contact Archives New Zealand for permission to view or the availability of alternative access provisions. Viewing is by appointment only. These records are restricted under section 49(1)(a) of the Public Records Act 2005.
            [setSpec] => series
        )

)