Early 1900s Creation of the Te Arawa
Trust Board

Around 1908, the Rev Manihera Tumatahi returned from

theological college in Gisborne to his home in Mourea.

The next morning he went to fish from a small jetty on the

Ohau Channel. A ranger on a launch pulled up to his jetty

and asked for a fishing license. Unable to produce this,

he explained he just wanted a fish for breakfast, that he

was going to Rotorua and would purchase a license there.

Regardless, he was summoned to appear in Court and fined

5 pounds.

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The Rev (later Bishop) Bennett was greatly upset by this

grave injustice. Manihera was fishing from his own land,

on his own lake, for fish liberated without his or anyone’s

consent. His actions were honest and did not warrant such

a severe penalty.

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The Rev Bennett and Te Arawa elders decided to challenge

the Crown on the ownership of the lakes and fishing rights.

They could not allow future generations believing their

elders had sacrificed at least a part of their just inheritance.

The matter went to the Supreme Court and was debated in

Parliament. By 1921, the Crown settled with Te Arawa to

establish the first Trust Board in the country.