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The plaque commemorates the signing of the deed of purchase of Greymouth. - ALBUM -
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Description The plaque commemorates the signing of the deed of purchase of Greymouth and is at the base of Cobden Bridge.Map[1] External LinkNgaitahu - our storiesContributorJanet Webster
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Location (city or town)GreymouthEvent The plaque commemorates the signing of the deed of purchase of Greymouth
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Date Created2nd July 2021CommentsTrish Rennie
I've not read the deed but can anyone tell me is that why we pay a Maori lease for some of the Greymouth land???
Ryan Gibbs
I remember reading somewhere that the land where Cobden is was the land that was sold. Then the land where Greymouth cbd is was taken over time without payment.
John Rosanowski
The sale excluded a good number of reserved areas on the West Coast - which were seen as vital to be retained by the sellers. The strip along the river (later to become the Greymouth CBD) was one of these areas excluded from the sale.
Richard Wallace
Trish Rennie not the most noblest memory for maori, leaves a sour taste for our Tipuna, maybe the truth needs to be revealed sometime. It was for the sale of the whole coast excluding some reserves set aside for the Iwi.
Geoffrey King
There was a period in the late 60's or early 70's where there was an opportunity to freehold Maori land down in the CBD. I remember that the Truman bloc was freeholded (where the Kingsgate stands in Albert St as one example).
Geoffrey King
Trish Rennie you are correct some land in the CBD is freehold some is Maori lease and I think in Blaketown that there is Harbour Board lease to contend with or may be that has gone by the board nowdays
Mahana Coulston
Trish Rennie that land is still owed by us and was leased and still is 100 year plus leases then at below average prices. Our old people retained that stretch along the river for landing sites and was once the site of our Pa
Tamai Sinclair
I was hoping someone might know if MacKay St was named after James MacKay? As some would know, MacKay is pronounced Mackie in Greymouth, my next question is why is it pronounced like that? I know older residents say Mawera rather than Mawhera because that is how their great grandparents heard it being pronounced.
Laura Mills Detlaff
Admin
Greymouth street names: A short history, compiled by Frances Buckley: Mackay Street
James Mackay, the explorer and Assistant Native Secretary, acting on instructions from Governor Gore-Browne, succeeded in buying Westland from the Maori for L300 (three hundred pounds) in 1860. Mackay, accompanied by other pioneer explorers, surveyors and government agents, made the extremely hazardous journey from Nelson down to Westland on a number of occasions between 1858 and 1860.Loretta Donnelly
Interesting reading these discussion. Thank you for posting them.
Paul Barrett
Deed of Sale makes me laugh more like stolen from us
Susan Barlow
Paul Barrett How so?
Greg Hine
Paul Barrett HE IWI TAHI TATOU!
Karen Beaumont
Paul Barrett you do realize that not all land was stolen
Paul Barrett
Karen Beaumont certainly not all stolen ,lot was sold but my ancestors were miss lead into selling there land north island Maori certainly had there land stolen confiscated missed lead into selling there land with broken promises I I whakapapa back to waitaha ,kati mamoe, kati tahu , McKenzie county was stolen alright I know that for fact as my great grandmother was one of many Maori from Canterbury protested theft of there traditional weka hunting grounds in McKenzie county in 1878 under leadership of te maiharoa they occupied there land at omarama till armed police from oamaru forced them off there land , research it
Paul Barrett
Ngti toa te raupaha tribe sold top half of south island as far as tuahiwi ,kaiapo English purchased of ngti Toa who claim they owned it through conquest over ngai tahu when te raupaha attacked kaikorua and tuahiwi ,te raupaha was also helped by English captain with his ship while te raupaha and his warriors hid below decks the captain invited the chief at present day akaroa killing him and sacking the pa ngai tahu from over south island lead by tuawaiki went on the avenge chased te raupaha all way back to kapiti island after being caught but slipping out of his cloak then escaping into sea to awaiting canoe ,as far as ngai tahu were concerned it was there land so why did English by off ngati toa ?
Tamai Sinclair
https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/our_stories/arahura-deed-1860/
The Arahura Deed, 1860 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
NGAITAHU.IWI.NZ
The Arahura Deed, 1860 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
John Rosanowski
Harry Evison , the historian involved in support of the Ngai Tahu, said that Poutini Ngai Tahu, after much consideration, agreed to the sale, because it assured Poutini Nagi Tahu's mana over the West Coast - which had been strongly disputed by Ngati Toa. at govt level.
I've not read the deed but can anyone tell me is that why we pay a Maori lease for some of the Greymouth land???
Ryan Gibbs
I remember reading somewhere that the land where Cobden is was the land that was sold. Then the land where Greymouth cbd is was taken over time without payment.
John Rosanowski
The sale excluded a good number of reserved areas on the West Coast - which were seen as vital to be retained by the sellers. The strip along the river (later to become the Greymouth CBD) was one of these areas excluded from the sale.
Richard Wallace
Trish Rennie not the most noblest memory for maori, leaves a sour taste for our Tipuna, maybe the truth needs to be revealed sometime. It was for the sale of the whole coast excluding some reserves set aside for the Iwi.
Geoffrey King
There was a period in the late 60's or early 70's where there was an opportunity to freehold Maori land down in the CBD. I remember that the Truman bloc was freeholded (where the Kingsgate stands in Albert St as one example).
Geoffrey King
Trish Rennie you are correct some land in the CBD is freehold some is Maori lease and I think in Blaketown that there is Harbour Board lease to contend with or may be that has gone by the board nowdays
Mahana Coulston
Trish Rennie that land is still owed by us and was leased and still is 100 year plus leases then at below average prices. Our old people retained that stretch along the river for landing sites and was once the site of our Pa
Tamai Sinclair
I was hoping someone might know if MacKay St was named after James MacKay? As some would know, MacKay is pronounced Mackie in Greymouth, my next question is why is it pronounced like that? I know older residents say Mawera rather than Mawhera because that is how their great grandparents heard it being pronounced.
Laura Mills Detlaff
Admin
Greymouth street names: A short history, compiled by Frances Buckley: Mackay Street
James Mackay, the explorer and Assistant Native Secretary, acting on instructions from Governor Gore-Browne, succeeded in buying Westland from the Maori for L300 (three hundred pounds) in 1860. Mackay, accompanied by other pioneer explorers, surveyors and government agents, made the extremely hazardous journey from Nelson down to Westland on a number of occasions between 1858 and 1860.Loretta Donnelly
Interesting reading these discussion. Thank you for posting them.
Paul Barrett
Deed of Sale makes me laugh more like stolen from us
Susan Barlow
Paul Barrett How so?
Greg Hine
Paul Barrett HE IWI TAHI TATOU!
Karen Beaumont
Paul Barrett you do realize that not all land was stolen
Paul Barrett
Karen Beaumont certainly not all stolen ,lot was sold but my ancestors were miss lead into selling there land north island Maori certainly had there land stolen confiscated missed lead into selling there land with broken promises I I whakapapa back to waitaha ,kati mamoe, kati tahu , McKenzie county was stolen alright I know that for fact as my great grandmother was one of many Maori from Canterbury protested theft of there traditional weka hunting grounds in McKenzie county in 1878 under leadership of te maiharoa they occupied there land at omarama till armed police from oamaru forced them off there land , research it
Paul Barrett
Ngti toa te raupaha tribe sold top half of south island as far as tuahiwi ,kaiapo English purchased of ngti Toa who claim they owned it through conquest over ngai tahu when te raupaha attacked kaikorua and tuahiwi ,te raupaha was also helped by English captain with his ship while te raupaha and his warriors hid below decks the captain invited the chief at present day akaroa killing him and sacking the pa ngai tahu from over south island lead by tuawaiki went on the avenge chased te raupaha all way back to kapiti island after being caught but slipping out of his cloak then escaping into sea to awaiting canoe ,as far as ngai tahu were concerned it was there land so why did English by off ngati toa ?
Tamai Sinclair
https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/our_stories/arahura-deed-1860/
The Arahura Deed, 1860 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
NGAITAHU.IWI.NZ
The Arahura Deed, 1860 - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
John Rosanowski
Harry Evison , the historian involved in support of the Ngai Tahu, said that Poutini Ngai Tahu, after much consideration, agreed to the sale, because it assured Poutini Nagi Tahu's mana over the West Coast - which had been strongly disputed by Ngati Toa. at govt level.
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West Coast New Zealand History (5th Jul 2021). The plaque commemorates the signing of the deed of purchase of Greymouth. - ALBUM - . In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 3rd May 2026 03:07, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29584