The Records
The Māori Land Court has a dual record system; Paper system and the Māori Land Information system (MLIS) database.
What records are available for public access?
Do any of the Records have restricted access?
Can I get my own copy of the records?
What are the Legal Acts, in relation to the Records?
What records are available for public access?
The following records are available for public access:
1. A list of owners for a Māori Land block, including the following details:
- Names of owners
- Shares held
- Total shares in land block
- Total area of block and total number of owners in block.
2. Minutes of Court hearings and Registrars orders.
3. Memorial schedules for Māori Land, these list any leases, occupations etc.
4. Orders of the Māori Land Court and the Registrar, including:
- Title orders (Orders that have created Māori Land)
- Trust orders (Names of trustees and terms of trusts)
- Succession orders (Names of successors to an estate)
- Vesting orders (Transfers of land interests)
- Status orders (Determinations or declarations of the status of land)
- Māori reservation recommendations or orders (Purpose and beneficiaries of a reservation and trustee orders)
- Māori Incorporation orders (Orders of incorporation and constitution of an incorporation)
- Chief Judge orders
5. Plans of Māori Land
6. Title notices (gazettes for Māori reservations, copies of leases and mortgages etc
7. Personal files (includes estate files)
8. Application files (current and historical applications)
How can I access the Records?
Māori Land Online
Current owners, memorial schedules and names of trustees are available on Māori Land Online. This is the search database that is available to the public, via the internet.
Māori Land Information System
Current and historical owners, memorial schedules, minutes orders, plans and titles notices are available on MLIS at public terminals at all Māori Land Court offices. The historical information in paper form is available in the Registry offices for the area they are responsible for.
Registry Office
Current and historical application files are available in the Registry office where the application was lodged. All staff in the Māori Land Court are able to provide this information, if necessary.
Contact a Māori Land Court Office
Do any of the Records have restricted access?
Yes, some Māori Land Court Records are restricted, these include:
- Will files (original wills with probate orders made by the Māori Land Court)
- Personality files (original grants of administration made by the Māori Land Court)
- Adoption files (orders made by the Māori Land Court)
These restricted Records are held in the Māori Land Court Registry offices. Staff in the Registry offices will advise you of the availability.
Contact a Māori Land Court Office
Can I get my own copy of the records?
Photocopies of documents listed 1-8 are available at a cost of $0.20 cents per page, after the first 20 pages.
What are the Legal Acts, in relation to the Records?
The Māori Land Court is bound by the following Acts in relation to the records:
Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993
Public Records Act 2005
Adoption Act 1955
