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Story: Māori Land Court – Te Kōti Whenua

Māori land alienation: South Island, 1844–64

  • 1844

    1844

  • 1848

    1848

  • 1849

    1849

  • 1854

    1854

  • 1856

    1856

  • 1857

    1857

  • 1859

    1859

  • 1860

    1860

  • 1864

    1864

Click on the buttons to view the extent of Māori land alienation in the South Island. Over 20 years in the mid-19th century, almost the entire South Island passed out of Māori ownership. The bulk of this land was bought by the Crown before the Native Land Court was set up. The terms of sale included Crown promises to provide South Island Māori with schools, hospitals, land reserves and other benefits. However, these promises were not honoured.

Using this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Reference: Bronwyn Dalley and Gavin McLean, Frontier of Dreams. Auckland: Hachette Livre NZ, 2005, p. 157

Source: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1865, G-3.

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How to cite this page

Mere Whaanga, Māori Land Court – Te Kōti Whenua – From tribal to individual ownership, 1840–1862, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/36127/maori-land-alienation-south-island-1844-64 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Mere Whaanga, published 12 June 2012.