Māori Land Court

Māori Land Court Judge, Norman Smith is one of six judges in Rotorua. He will leave New Zealand for Western Samoa shortly. Over the next three years he will set up an appeal court to deal with a back log of complicated land matters. He is interviewed by Jill Nicholas.

The Māori land court was set up over a hundred years ago and was introduced mainly to settle problems over multiple ownerships of land. Although it has been in existence for a long time it is still very necessary. - kaikōrero: Judge Norman Smith.

He lists some successful joint ownership land developments in the Rotorua-Bay of Plenty area and discusses the need for business training for Maori trustees so they can successfully manage large areas of land.

He comments on the Waitangi Tribunal and the implications of its decisions.