Jean Francois Langlois aims to secure land in Banks Peninsula for the French. During complicated negotiations for land, chief Tiemi Nohomutu is listed as one of the “four high chiefs of Port Cooper and Port Levy” in attendance, with his name and moko found on purchase documents. At the same time, the Crown was asserting that the French Deeds were invalid. Click this timeline record to read about Tiemi Nohomutu.

The Port Cooper Deed provides for the setting aside of land in Pūrau for local Ngāi Tahu residents.

Tiemi Nohomutu dies and is buried in Pūrau, where his headstone can be found today. He leaves a wife, Hinetuhu/ Hinetutu, and one daughter, Te Kohowai, who later marries Paora Taki. She has one daughter, TiemiTiemi’s granddaughter (Wikitoria) Ngaroimata.

Richard A Oliver paints the watercolour “The Māori settlement, Purau Bay, Port Cooper”, which depicts the Māori kāinga (unfortified village) on the western foreshore of Pūrau. This painting can be viewed at the Christchurch Art Gallery.

Pūrau is mapped by Messrs W.B. and G. Rhodes on the “Plan of Rhodes Mount ” in Pūrau, which depicts the location of the ‘Native Reserve’.

The land is first surveyed as "Native Reserve 876”, comprising about nine acres. It is shown on the survey as a “Māori Pah”.

Nine acres is set aside as "Native Reserve 876 Pūrau”. This was not awarded to the local hapū but to (Wikitoria) Ngaroimata, Tiemi Nohomutu’s granddaughter.

19 JANRUARY

The land is leased to W.M Gardiner.

(Wikitoria) Ngaroimata wills the land to Rahera Murwai Uru, who is of no whānau relationship.

18 MARCH

Contrary to native land restrictions, Rahera Muriwai Uru sells the land to a local farmer’s wife, Mrs Christine Gardener, subject to a requirement to fence and keep fenced the graves on the land (Crown Grant Deed 5021 11 April 1870).

26 JUNE

The County Clerk of Mt Herbert County Council writes to the Minister of Native Lands requesting control of the “Native Cemetery” within Reserve 876 so it may be fenced and planted with native shrubs and conserved.

16 JULY

The Commissioner of Crown Lands replies to the County Clerk, stating that;

o The whole area of Native Reserve 876, Pūrau Bay, was sold by the owner to Mr Gardiner.

o There is no mention of the Native Cemetery, speculating that it may be because it’s on the road.

o He asks the Clerk to mark the cemetery on a plan.

o He also points out that, if the cemetery is within the reserve, it would belong to the 'native owner'.

26 JULY

The County Clerk writes to the Lands and Survey Department, putting forward complaints from local Māori about inclusion of the cemetery in the sale of the Native Reserve. He returns a marked-up plan (shown here) and suggests the cemetery should be conveyed to the Council for control and management.

This image shows the 1915 land survey overlaid onto the 2024 subdivision by Council GIS technicians.

This image shows the full 1915 land parcel laid overtop the current 2024 subdivision.

30 JULY

The Commissioner of Crown Lands advises the Under Secretary of Lands that the land is freehold owned by Mrs Christine Gardiner and suggests the Council acquires the land under Section 51 of the Cemetries Act 1908.

9 MARCH

Under Secretary Department of Māori Affairs writes to the Director General of Lands conveying the outcome of that discussion:

• The land contains about nine acres and has upon it an old Māori burial ground of about 1 rood (a quarter acre).
• Mr Gardiner asks if there was any way in which he could have the burial ground cut off and returned to Māori control.
• Mr Gardiner was advised it was possible to have the burial ground vested in trustees under Section 117 of the Māori Purposes Act 1931.

20 MARCH

Surveyor General (Department of Lands and Survey) advises the Chief Surveyor that the vesting of the approximately quarter acre said to be an old Māori burial ground may be accepted to meet the requirements under Section 12 and that the area should be shown as a “Public Reserve” on the scheme plan. He indicates that the Department of Lands and Survey and the Māori Affairs Department could take further action.

17 AUGUST

A survey plan (shown here) is lodged by Mr Gardiner.

25 AUGUST

The Council approves the "Old Māori burial ground” be shown as "public reserve" in the subdivision scheme plans. Mr Gardiner also states he is “prepared to plant the 'burial ground' area with shrubs if it is taken over by the Council as a Reserve.” They also note a recommendation would be brought to the next meeting.

2 OCTOBER

The Council accepts the burial ground and areas set aside for public road as the full contribution required under the provisions of the Land Subdivision in Counties Act 1946.

31 OCTOBER

The Surveyor approves the scheme plan for submission for Ministerial approval.

7 DECEMBER

The Deputy Chief Surveyor submits the proposed subdivision for the Minister’s approval. That letter of submission contains relevant text to the burial ground and proposed “Public Reserve”.

17 MARCH

District Officer at the Department of Māori Affairs writes to the County Clerk, responding they have no record of the land in their records and that they should seek information from the people of Rapaki.

23 MARCH

Mount Herbert County Clerk sends a letter acknowledging the correspondence from the District Officer, stating further investigations as suggested will be made.

24 MARCH

Mount Herbert County Council seek information from the public on the reserve and Tiemi Nohumutu’s grave within it by printing an advertisement.

10 JUNE

The Deed of Covenant is signed by Mr Gardiner and Mt Herbert County Council for the subdivision.

25 JULY

A Christchurch Star article is published beneath the headline, “Māori Burial Ground Exists At Pūrau”. The full article reads:

“It had been definitely established that part of a subdivision at Pūrau was an old Māori burial ground, Mr A M Jackson informed members of the Mount Herbert County Council yesterday.

"The National Historic Places Trust had written to the council expressing concern that the area might be desecrated..."

5 AUGUST

The Commissioner of Crown Lands writes to the Historic Places Trust, confirming Reserve 4622 is a Māori burial ground listed in the District’s records, suggesting possibilities to improve the present administration:

1. Vest in Māori trustees
2. Change purpose to cemetery reserves and appoint County Councils as Cemetery Trustees
3. Appoint the National Historic Places Trust to control and manage as Historic reserves
4. Appoint a special Board to control and manage

28 AUGUST

Canterbury Māori Tribal Executive, supporting the Rāpaki Tribal Committee, writes to the Mount Herbert County Council, strongly urging the Council to preserve Pūrau Reserve 4622 as a Māori burial reserve.

21 SEPTEMBER

Mount Herbert County Clerk acknowledges receiving the letter dated 28 August and states that the Council will respect the wishes of the Māori people as far as its powers will allow and requests any further information on the size of it, asking how much of the reserve do they think it covers.

10 NOVEMBER

Canterbury Māori Tribal Executive writes to Mount Herbert County Council, stating:

“Mr H.H.H. Gardener would be the most appropriate person to direct you as to where this fence existed. We are, however, reasonably certain that the original burial grounds contained 60 or more graves and occupied most of the existing reserve.”

26 NOVEMBER

The County Clerk acknowledges receipt of the letter 10 November 1959.

11 FEBRUARY

The Chief Surveyor minutes a meeting between Council members, local iwi and community representatives. The purpose of that meeting is to discuss the ownership, control and management of Reserve 4622.

18 MARCH

A conversation is recorded in the minutes of the Mt Herbert County Council, directing the County Clerk to arrange for "Mr Radcliffe" to attend a meeting to be held at the Rāpaki Hall.

20 JUNE

District Officer Māori Land Court writes to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, advising that the Rāpaki Māori Tribal Committee has made application under section 439 of the Māori Affairs Act for Reserve 4622 to be set aside as a Māori Reservation and vested in the Rāpaki Tribal Committee’s nominees as Trustees and seeks the Crown’s attitude to that proposal.

26 JULY

The District Officer Department of Māori Affairs for the Commissioner of Crown Lands writes to Mr J Karetai (representative from Little River Māori), setting out the history and current ownership, management and control of Reserve 4266. However, the letter may not have been sent.

11 AUGUST

The Commissioner of Crown Lands writes to the District Officer Department of Māori Affairs and sets out status and options and suggests the Council and Tribal Committee meet to discuss the matter.

24 AUGUST

A reserves report indicates that Reserve 4622 is not being proactively managed or maintained. It recommends its future use – “Leave as Cemetery”.

13 DECEMBER

A meeting is held between the Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands, District Officer (Māori Affairs Department), Chief Draughtsman (National Historic Places Trust) and the Māori Tribal Council. While primarily focused on appropriate ownership, use, management and control, the document shows the discussion and relevance to the site as a burial ground.

22 DECEMBER

The Mount Herbert County Council (following the meeting of 13 December) writes to the Chief Surveyor, seeking Reserve 4622 to be vested in the Council. This was approved 26 January 1962.

The correspondence shared that the "reserve will be levelled and sown in grass; the tombstone elevated, native trees planted, the limits of the burial ground marked, and provision made for a much needed car parking area outside the burial ground.”

2 FEBRUARY

The reserve vesting is announced in the NZ Gazette by the Minister of Lands.

26 JANUARY

A plan of the proposed layout of the reserve is presented to the Mt Herbert County Council who approved it, subject to re-grouping of some trees.

22 FEBRUARY

A summary of the "Maori Grave" was prepared by Assistant Commissioner of Crown Land for the Star newspaper and added to the file.

SEPTEMBER

Archaeological Solutions Ltd provides an Archaeological Geomagnetic report completed by Dr Hans-Dieter Bader. Dr Bader finds that, within the reserve, in addition to Chief Tiemi Nohomutu’s grave, there are “possible or likely burial pits".

Dr Bader also reports that:

“The classification of geophysical anomalies as possible or likely graves is based on,

• The pattern known from other geomagnetic surveys on urupā e.g. at Moeraki
• The location inside an area considered urupā by the rūnanga."

20 AUGUST

Lyttleton/Mt Herbert Community Board decides to request a report that enables the Board to decide on the reclassification of the Foreshore Reserve at Pūrau, including the Pūrau Māori Reserve. The report is to “include that the reserves have been surveyed, that papatipu rūnanga have been consulted and to seek the reclassification of the reserves as historic to better reflect the historic and cultural values of the site”.

17 APRIL

A Pūrau community member provides the Council with an additional independent geotechnical radar scan report, completed by GPR Solutions Ltd, using ground-penetrating radar. The report identifies subsurface features and anomalies within the reserve; however, it concludes they are assumed to be rocks or sections of tree roots or a dried-up stream, and eliminates possibility of utility or service pipes.

28 MAY

Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board hears staff recommendations to proceed and deputations from the community on the proposal to revoke the reserve status and return the land to Ngāti Wheke.

The Community Board asks staff to look into community members’ claims of errors in the staff report and to gather more information about the derivation of the title of the reserve, resolving that the report “lay on the table” until staff provide more information to the board.

MARCH

Ngāti Wheke receives and supplies the Council with a draft independent review of the findings in the 2009 Archaeological Solutions Ltd Archaeological Geomagnetic Report (Bader report). The review was completed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. The report was also made final in 2024.

APRIL

The Council receives Underground Overground Archaeology’s peer-review findings of the 2009 geomagnetic report.

FEBRUARY

The Council commissions a second geomagnetic report of the foreshore, to inform the Pūrau foreshore and recreation ground development plan.

11 JUNE

Ngāti Wheke representatives and Council staff meet with Department of Conservation (DOC) again. DOC advises they are now supportive of the public notification of a proposal to revoke the reserve status, as the Pūrau reserve components are not the same or similar to the Lake Ruataniwha case. DOC later confirms in writing.

12 AUGUST

Council staff request Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board endorses recommencement of the reserve revocation process to allow the return of the land to Ngāti Wheke.

The Board hears five deputations on the matter and resolves to recommend to Council that it:

a) Commence the consultation and hearings panel process

b) Extend the consultation period to two months, and

c) Endorse recommendation to Council that the Board are appointed hearings panel.

4 SEPTEMBER

Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board presents its recommendation to Council. Councillors vote in support, approving commencement of the consultation and hearings process and appointing Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board as hearings panel.