Guide

ARCHIVES NZ MLC GUIDE

--- Source: ARCHIVES_NZ_MLC_GUIDE.txt --- # RESEARCH 28: ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND - MĀORI LAND COURT RECORDS **Date:** December 29, 2025 (UTC) **Capture IP:** 207.49.133.146 **Objective:** Research how to access 1940s Māori Land Court records --- ## KEY FINDING: ARCHIVES NZ HOLDS MINUTE BOOKS 1865-1975 **Source:** Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga **URL:** https://www.archives.govt.nz/research-guidance/research-guides/law-and-the-courts/maori-land-court ### Critical Infor...

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--- Source: ARCHIVES_NZ_MLC_GUIDE.txt ---

RESEARCH 28: ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND - MĀORI LAND COURT RECORDS

Date: December 29, 2025 (UTC) Capture IP: 207.49.133.146 Objective: Research how to access 1940s Māori Land Court records

KEY FINDING: ARCHIVES NZ HOLDS MINUTE BOOKS 1865-1975

Source: Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga URL: https://www.archives.govt.nz/research-guidance/research-guides/law-and-the-courts/maori-land-court

Critical Information

> "We hold copies of Māori Land Court Minute Books from 1865 to 1975 for the whole country." This means 1947 records (the year of alleged fraud) ARE held by Archives NZ.

HOW THE COURT OPERATED

Court Structure

| Role | Function |

|------|----------|

| Judge | Presided at each Court hearing | | Clerk | Kept minutes of the hearing in English | | Assessors | Assisted with translation and understanding whakapapa | | Interpreters | Some judges understood te reo Māori, others relied on interpreters |

Key Points

  • Judges' Note Books - Some judges kept their own notes, separate from official Minute Books
  • Assessor Books - A few survive, in te reo Māori, recording what Assessors heard
  • Evidence given with purpose - "Researchers should be aware that evidence was given with a purpose – to hold onto or acquire land – and that it may not be accurate"

ACCESSING 1940s RECORDS

The Problem

> "There is no detailed indexing of Māori Land Court Minute Books after 1910. You will need to know the area and a close date."

The Solution

To access Judge Dykes' 1947 records, you would need to:

  • Contact Archives New Zealand directly
  • Know the specific area (Hawke's Bay/Napier)
  • Know the approximate date (January 31, 1947)
  • Request the specific Minute Books for that period

Contact Information

  • Māori Land Court National Office: [email protected]
  • Archives NZ Reading Rooms: Pre-order records before visiting

MINUTE BOOK HOLDINGS BY DISTRICT

Archives NZ holds records for all districts, including:

| District | Series |

|----------|--------|

| Taitokerau (Auckland) | BAHW W3516 |

| Waikato-Maniapoto | W3517, W4428, W5308 |

| Waiariki (Rotorua) | W3518, W3746, W4869 |

| Tairawhiti (Gisborne) | W3519 |

| Takitimu (Napier/Hawke's Bay) | W3521, W4865 |

| Aotea (Wanganui) | W3520, W4866 |

| Ikaroa (Wellington) | W3522 |

| Te Waipounamu (South Island) | AEGV 19100, 19107, 19119, 19109 |

CRITICAL: The Takitimu district (W3521, W4865) covers Napier and Hawke's Bay - this is where Judge Dykes' 1947 records would be held.

UNESCO RECOGNITION

> "In 2012 the Maori Land Court Minute Books were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand Register."

This confirms the historical significance and preservation of these records.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR INVESTIGATION

  • 1947 records exist - Archives NZ holds Minute Books through 1975
  • Takitimu district - Covers Hawke's Bay where alleged fraud occurred
  • No online index after 1910 - Physical research required
  • Judge Dykes appointed 1941 - His records would be in the 1940s-1950s Minute Books
  • Judges' Note Books - May contain additional evidence

Next Steps for Investigation

To verify the Papa Winikerei case allegations, a researcher would need to:

  • Contact Archives NZ or Māori Land Court
  • Request Takitimu district Minute Books for January 1947
  • Search for cases involving Judge R.P. Dykes
  • Look for any irregularities or "clandestine sessions"

EVIDENCE CAPTURED

| Item | File |

|------|------|

| Screenshot | SCREENSHOTS/28_ARCHIVES_NZ.webp |

| Source URL | https://www.archives.govt.nz/research-guidance/research-guides/law-and-the-courts/maori-land-court |