KIRI CAMPBELL

Waitangi Trust Paper Trail · Discussion 06 · Source-audited baseline

What happened each year from 1932 to 2026?

This is not a narrative timeline that fills gaps with assumptions. Every year is shown. Where a sourced event is established, the event and evidential status are recorded. Where this audit has not yet established an event, the year remains explicitly open.

How to read this chronology

Primary instrument

An Act, deed, transfer, title mechanism or other contemporaneous legal instrument establishes the event.

Accounting / policy record

A Budget, briefing or announcement establishes that Government planned, valued, funded or deferred an action. It does not automatically prove legal completion.

Current operational record

Shows how the organisation or public authority describes current management or operations. It is not automatically a title record.

Open year

No new event has yet been proved for that year from the public baseline. It remains a research gap, not a finding of inactivity.

The most important chronology lesson so farThe proposed Waitangi Endowment Forest transfer appears repeatedly in public accounting records over many years. Because later records continue to say it was pending legislation, an earlier Budget reference to a “transfer” or “write-off” cannot safely be treated as the date legal title changed.

The year-by-year ledger

YearWhat the current source set establishesSource / next evidence
1932Primary instruments

18 Nov: the Trust Deed was executed. 9 Dec: the Waitangi National Trust Board Act 1932 incorporated the Board and gave the deed statutory effect. The Act also created separate title mechanisms for closed roads and Crown-acquired historic land. These are legal authorities; the registered title outcome must still be checked parcel by parcel.

1932 Act and Schedule 1 deed
1933Primary instruments

1 Mar: a separate Bledisloe transfer conveyed the Waitangi Endowment lands to His Majesty the King. 10 Mar: the Waitangi Endowment Act came into force, creating the Crown-held Endowment trusts and the statutory revenue payment to the National Trust Board. 8 Sep: further Waitangi land was taken for historic purposes; the later 1934 Act supplied a mechanism for title to the Board.

Waitangi Endowment Act 1932–33; 1934 land legislation
1934Primary / contemporary

The Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act 1934 authorised a warrant-based fee-simple title to the Board for the further historic-purpose parcel. In February the Board confirmed Korokī Mahuta in place of his late father Te Rata in the south-of-Auckland representative position.

1934 Act, s 17; Northern Advocate, 7 Feb 1934
1935Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1936Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1937Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1938Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1939Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1940Official biography

James Clendon Tau Hēnare succeeded his father Tau Hēnare as a member of the Board and served as organising secretary of the Waitangi centennial celebrations. This is a documented succession event, but the appointment resolution itself remains an archival target.

Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
1941Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1942Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1943Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1944Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1945Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1946Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1947Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1948Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1949Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1950Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1951Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1952Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1953Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1954Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1955Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1956Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1957Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1958Primary legislation

The Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Act 1958 required the Board to appoint an additional representative member for the family of James Busby and authorised payment of members' accommodation and other expenses.

1958 Amendment Act
1959Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1960Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1961Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1962Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1963Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1964Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1965Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1966Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1967Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1968Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1969Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1970Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1971Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1972Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1973Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1974Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1975Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1976Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1977Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1978Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1979Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1980Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1981Primary legislation

Parliament released specified Waitangi Endowment and National Trust parcels from their existing trusts and declared them Crown land free from any trust. The intended destinations in the recitals do not by themselves prove the later registered disposition.

Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Act 1981, s 3
1982Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1983Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1984Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1985Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1986Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1987Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1988Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1989Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1990Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1991Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1992Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1993Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1994Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1995Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1996Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1997Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1998Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
1999Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2000Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2001Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2002Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2003Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2004Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2005Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2006Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2007Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2008Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2009Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2010Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2011Government policy announcement

Government announced a modernisation package for the Board and said the Crown would investigate with the Board whether the Bledisloes' income objective would be better met by transferring ownership of the Waitangi Endowment Forest land to the Board. This was a policy/investigation announcement, not a title transfer.

Beehive, 29 Jan 2011
2012Budget/accounting evidence

Budget material described a $3.371m write-off of Waitangi Endowment Forest trees “through a transfer of the Forest to the Waitangi National Trust Board” as a one-off 2011/12 amount. Later budget records repeatedly say the transfer/write-off remained pending legislation. Therefore this 2012 wording is accounting evidence of an intended transaction, not proof of completed legal title transfer.

Budget 2012, Vote Conservation
2013Carry-forward evidence

The later 2014 Budget records that a Waitangi Endowment Forest write-off/transfer expense had been deferred from 2013/14. This establishes continued accounting treatment of the proposed transfer, but no completed title instrument has been identified for 2013.

Budget 2014, Vote Conservation
2014Budget/accounting evidence

Vote Conservation explicitly referred to delay in passing final legislation for the forest-land transfer and to a deferred $1.925m Waitangi Endowment Forest write-off pending enactment of legislation. This is strong evidence that the earlier accounting references had not completed the legal transfer.

Budget 2014, Vote Conservation
2015Primary legislation

The Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Act 2015 received Royal assent on 23 Nov and commenced the next day. It restructured governance, including the Crown representatives group, nominated MP positions, term limits and the later four-family treatment of the former combined Riri Maihi Kawiti position.

2015 Amendment Act
2016Current official + Budget evidence

The Trust Board established Waitangi Limited as a wholly-owned subsidiary to manage day-to-day operations of the Treaty Grounds and wider estate. Separately, Vote Conservation again recorded a $1.925m deferred Waitangi Endowment Forest write-off pending enactment of legislation.

Waitangi — People & Leadership; Budget 2016
2017Open year

No new event has yet been established for this year in the public baseline source set. The previous proved legal position is carried forward only as a working ledger position. This does not mean nothing happened.

Further annual accounts, minutes, title records and archival files required.
2018Later Budget evidence

No standalone 2018 transfer instrument has been identified in this baseline. The 2019 Budget shows that the $1.925m disposal expense was being carried from 2018/19 into 2019/20 pending enactment of Waitangi Endowment Forest legislation.

Budget 2019
2019Budget/accounting evidence

Vote Conservation carried $1.925m from 2018/19 into 2019/20 pending enactment of Waitangi Endowment Forest legislation; the Supplementary Estimates then moved the same amount onward to 2020/21 for the same reason.

2019/20 Estimates; 2019/20 Supplementary Estimates
2020Budget/accounting evidence

The $1.925m Waitangi Endowment Forest disposal expense was again carried forward, now from 2019/20 to 2020/21, pending enactment of legislation. The Supplementary Estimates later moved it onward again to 2021/22.

2020/21 Estimates; 2020/21 Supplementary Estimates
2021Budget/accounting evidence

Vote Conservation again carried the $1.925m amount into 2021/22 pending enactment of Waitangi Endowment Forest legislation. The repeated deferral is evidence against treating earlier Budget “transfer” wording as proof of completed legal transfer.

2021/22 Estimates
2022Budget/accounting evidence

Supplementary Estimates transferred the $1.925m disposal expense to 2022/23 pending enactment of Waitangi Endowment Forest legislation. The 2022/23 Estimates separately identified $3.371m of Waitangi Endowment Forest transfer funding awaiting the passing of related legislation. These are accounting provisions for different aspects of the proposed disposal/transfer; neither is registered title evidence.

2021/22 Supplementary Estimates; 2022/23 Estimates
2023Official advice title located

Manatū Taonga's public register records an 18 Dec briefing titled “Information on the Waitangi National Trust Board” (AM23/541). The title establishes that ministerial advice existed, but the briefing content has not been retrieved in this baseline and no transaction is inferred from the title.

Manatū Taonga — titles of advice
2024Official advice titles located

Manatū Taonga's advice register records BR24/261, “The Waitangi Endowment Forest and Waitangi National Trust revenue”, dated 12 Dec 2024, and earlier advice on nominated members. The title confirms the forest/revenue issue was actively before officials; the briefing itself remains a retrieval target.

Manatū Taonga — BR24/261 title
2025Official released briefing

A DOC briefing released under OIA records $3.371m relating to transfer of Waitangi Endowment forestry assets to the Board and says the matter was delayed while awaiting enabling legislation/assent, land-title transfer steps and third-party agreements. This is strong evidence that, at the date of that briefing, implementation remained incomplete.

DOC OIA releases — OIAD-5043, 28 Apr 2025
2026Current official / operational

Waitangi currently describes the National Trust Estate as 506 hectares and identifies Waitangi Limited as the wholly-owned operating subsidiary. In June, Far North District Council described the Waitangi Endowment Forest as managed by the Department of Conservation on behalf of the Board and recorded installation of a 15-year-authorised fire-detection network. These are current organisational/operational facts; they are not a parcel-level title schedule.

Waitangi — People & Leadership; FNDC, 10 Jun 2026

What this first complete pass reveals

The chronology is presently dense at the creation points and modern reform/forest-transfer points, but sparse across long middle periods.

That is not a weakness to hide. It tells us exactly where the next archival work belongs.

1935–1939

Need early Board minutes, annual accounts, title assurances, farming/lease records, Endowment forestry accounts and audit reports.

1941–1957

Need succession resolutions, annual balance sheets, wartime/post-war estate records, land transactions and Endowment revenue records.

1959–1980

Need Busby-seat appointment chain, land/title changes, leases, investments, accounts and the file trail leading to the 1981 boundary legislation.

1982–2010

Need post-1981 registered dispositions, DOC/forestry management records, Board accounts, tourism/estate development records and investment schedules.

2011–2026

The public policy/accounting trail is much stronger, but the decisive enabling legislation, land-title instruments, third-party agreements and complete Endowment revenue ledger remain the key evidence targets.

Every year

Need the Board's own annual revenue/expenditure statement, balance sheet, auditor report and minutes wherever they survive.

The rule for Discussion 07

Discussion 07 should now take this chronology and convert it into a strict asset ledger.

For every asset we need:

asset identifier → opening holder → acquisition instrument → acquisition cost/value → revenue generated → improvements/capital expenditure → investment or disposal → closing holder/value → source.

That is the only reliable way to answer what accumulated, what was bought, what was sold and what remains.

Source register for Discussion 06

Primary legislation: Waitangi National Trust Board Act 1932; Waitangi Endowment Act 1932–33; Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act 1934; 1958 Amendment Act; 1981 land legislation; 2015 Amendment Act.

Contemporary / official historical: Northern Advocate, 7 Feb 1934; Dictionary of New Zealand Biography — James Hēnare.

Government policy/accounting: 2011 Beehive announcement; Treasury Vote Conservation Estimates and Supplementary Estimates cited in the relevant year rows.

Current / ministerial records: Manatū Taonga advice-title register; DOC 2025 OIA releases; Waitangi current leadership/estate page; FNDC, June 2026.

Audit rule: “No event established” means only that this public source pass has not yet proved a new event for that year. It must never be read as “nothing happened”. Reviewed 2 September 2026.

Original writing © Kiri Campbell. Please share the page link; request permission before reproducing original content. Third-party material remains attributed to its sources.