Q. What is an Incorporation?

A. A Maori incorporation is a structure similar to a company. Its purpose is to assist and promote the use and administration of Maori freehold land on behalf of the owners. Maori incorporations are designed to manage whole blocks of land and are the most commercial of all Maori land management structures.

Q. How do I set up a Maori Incorporation?

A. To establish a Maori incorporation landowners need to apply to the Maori Land Court. They need to:

• hold a meeting, in accordance with Part IX of the Act, at which they pass a resolution to establish a Maori incorporation
• have 15 percent of the total shareholding consent to the establishment of the incorporation
• send an application with a copy of the minutes of the meeting to the Maori Land Court.
  If the Maori Land Court is satisfied with the application, it will issue an order of incorporation and appoint the initial committee of management.
  

A. A Maori incorporation can include one or more blocks of Maori freehold land if at least one of the blocks has more than two owners. Once a Maori incorporation has been constituted, it can acquire any type of land.

Q. How do Maori Incorporations operate?

A. Maori incorporations must have a constitution. The constitution is set out in the First Schedule to the Regulations and includes such requirements as:

• general meetings of shareholders
• voting
• Committee of management shares.
  

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April 2008