Rakiura Deed – 1864

The Rakiura (Stewart Island) Deed of Purchase was signed at Awarua (Bluff) on 29 June, 1864 by 34 Ngāi Tahu signatories. It gave ownership of Rakiura to the Queen, together with “all the large islands and all the small islands adjacent.”

This was the last of the major land purchases in Te Waipounamu. The price paid was £6,000 for 420,000 acres, which was certainly the most generous of the Crown transactions. Nine reserves totalling 935 acres were set aside on the island. In addition, the Crown agreed to protect and preserve the rights of Rakiura Māori to access the nearby islands used for the harvesting of tītī.

More information on the Ngāi Tahu Deeds and Te Kerēme can be found here.