Ownership of Taniwha Springs on council agenda
19 August 2015
A strong contingent from Ngati Rangiwewehi is expected to attend a meeting of Rotorua Lakes Council this week where councillors will vote on returning ownership of Taniwha Springs to iwi.
Tomorrow evening's (Thursday 20 August) meeting follows a unanimous recommendation earlier this month from the council's Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee for ownership of Taniwha Springs to be transferred from the council to Ngati Rangiwewehi.
Transfer of ownership would be at no cost to iwi and subject only to an easement allowing the council to continue taking water until the current consent expires in 2018.
Taniwha Springs are of historic cultural significance to Ngati Rangiwewehi and are regarded as precious taonga. They are believed to be the traditional home of the taniwha Pekehaua - a central figure of local traditions - and the place where the tribe's life springs from.
In 1966 the springs were taken under the Public Works Act for public water supply purposes, and vested in the then-Rotorua County Council. However Ngati Rangiwewehi has always mourned the loss of the springs and regarded their taking as morally wrong.
In the 2012 Ngati Rangiwewehi Settlement the Crown acknowledged that the taking of the land was felt by Ngati Rangiwewehi to be the greatest grievance they bear against the Crown.
The other key agenda item to be considered at Thursday evening's council meeting is a recommendation that the council undertake community consultation on a number of concepts aimed at refreshing City Focus as part of the Inner City Revitalisation Strategy. The proposed month-long consultation programme would include a pop-up Ideas Store, located close to City Focus, with the concepts on display, and an online feedback form for the Rotorua community to share their views.
Thursday's (20 August) council meeting will be in the Council Chamber at Rotorua Lakes Council's Civic Centre, commencing at 7pm. The meeting is open to the public.