Colonial Street Names... Fenton Street

p15190atl





I remember buzzing along that big main road in Rotorua, Fenton Street, and idly wondering where the name came from. Well, I’ve just done a spot of research so now I know.


fd-fenton
Francis Dart Fenton was a lawyer who became the first judge of the Native Land Court under the legislation of 1865. This Act put in place what was needed for the direct purchase of land – putting land into individual title. Recognising that huge numbers of acres hand been wrongly confiscated, the Court’s early task was the return of that land, but whereas the land had previously been communally held, and administered by rangatira, it was returned in individual title.


 

Fenton laid down the guidelines for the Court’s operation. Non-Māori could ask the court to name the owners of a block, even if the owners had no wish to sell. Only ten names could appear on a deed, regardless of the actual number of owners. At first Māori considered the names to be those of trustees, but some time later the court would refuse this interpretation, declaring the ten people to be ‘beneficial owners’, able to sell or use the land for themselves. The Court also fiddled with inheritance. Whereas communal land was administered by rangatira who were gradually replaced or augmented, who took the circumstances and needs of the whanau into account, the Court divided title among all children, so that the parcels of land became smaller with each generation.

 

He was self-aggrandising and locked in jealous conflict with other settlers who he saw as competition, especially Donald McLean who had been the Chief Land-purchase Officer for many years. But it is fair to say that he fulfilled the wishes of the majority of settlers, and made the court into what Tony Simpson described as “one of the most pernicious measures ever enacted by a settler community to get its hands on the estate of the native inhabitants”.

 

I can suggest four good sources of information about the Native Land Court and its operations. Tony Simpson covers quite a lot in Te Riri Pakeha. Alan Ward tells us a lot in A Show of Justice.  David Williams gives thorough coverage in Te Kooti tango whenua: the court to take land, and the Waitangi Tribunal Report on Ngaati Whaatua offers us a detailed case study of the court in action.

Mitzi Nairn

Popular posts from this blog

JOINING IN AS RADIO NZ DISCUSSES RACISM

I’d actually agree with people who say “I’m not racist”. I think racism is essentially the characteristic of the society we live in and all of us are caught up in it. Most of us are well adapted to living in a racist society. Of course, there are a few bigots who are enthusiastic and consciously participate rejoicing. Then there are lots of us who are uncritically accepting of how things are, or who have the luxury of putting it in the too hard basket. A growing number are trying to live in a resistant way.   It is good to have had a discussion on radio. If media would stop reinforcing the settler-coloniser mindset, I think the pace would pick up. However Jenny Rankine is doing a thesis about racism on social media, and at present that is a nightmare of prejudice where bigots romp and evangelise!   After focusing our energies on institutional racism, we haven't had much impact on personal prejudice as yet.  However there is some evidence that attitudes follow change rather than ini...
Read more

New Support for School Boards Around Te Tiriti o Waitangi Application

Image
School boards are accountable for the performance of their school and student achievement. This includes making decisions that support Māori learners to enjoy and achieve education success as Māori. Congratulations to the New Zealand School Trustees Association for their new publication and resources to support trustees in their efforts to implement Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The resources include i) Te Tiriti and school governance information booklet, ii) board activities and inquiry scenarios and iii) video clips offering inspirational stories of school and community change. The governance booklet focusses on supporting boards moving from rhetoric to practices which are evidence-based and culturally responsive. It provides support to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi into strategic planning, explores honourable kāwanatanga (governance) and provides up-to-date evidence on Māori students’ achievement. For the busy board member, the clips share powerful stories of how different schools have been p...
Read more

This land is your land

Image
[caption id="attachment_589" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Woody Guthrie (undated)[/caption] Early in the US depression (1929-1939) Guthrie abandoned his family and joined the migration of Oklahoma farmers (Okies) off the land they had impoverished (made into a Dust Bowl) and on to California looking for work, any work. He learned their blues and other songs creating a strong foundation for his own song writing. But it was not until February 1940, while the US was sitting on the sidelines of World War II, that he penned what may be his most well known song: This land is your land.  You have probably joined in singing the first two verses at least once in your life. Just in case they have slipped your memory here they are. These verses have been covered by numerous performers since the 1960s: most recently in a full-length performance at President Obama’s inauguration in 2009 by Pete Seeger and others. This land is your land, this land is my land, From ...
Read more