A court registrar error has resulted in the incorrect sale of Māori land blocks known as Moutere 8B2 in Ōtaki, New Zealand, three times over a 20-year period, according to a recent court decision.
The error originated in 1989 when a transfer of estate representative for the land was mishandled. This led to the land being sold to Slavo Jagusić in 1999, and then to Kevin and Shirley McNeil in 2000. The sales were later found to be invalid due to the initial administrative mistake.
In 2005, a nationwide project was launched to address such historical land administration errors, but the Moutere 8B2 blocks were not corrected until a recent court ruling. The decision highlights ongoing issues with the management of Māori land under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act.
The affected parties are now seeking remedies, including potential compensation or return of the land. The case underscores the importance of accurate record-keeping in land transactions involving Māori customary land.
