Communication with Minister for Courts
Share Register
Share Transfer Form
Share Process Flow Chart
Successions
All successions to deceased estates including where a will has been made are determined by the Maori Land Court who administer Te Ture Whenua 1993. (The Maori Land Act 1993)
The Otakanini Topu can neither interfere in the Court Process nor is it able to pay any dividends prior to receiving the Court Order that the estate has been succeeded to.
Succession Applications need to be made directly to the Maori Land Court (not the Otakanini Topu).
On receipt of your application the Court will inform the Otakanini Topu and give the Topu instructions that may assist it in the determination.
Only when the Otakanini Topu has received the Court Succession Order which will have the Maori Land Court Seal attached to it, will the Otakanini Topu issue share certificates, adjust the share register and pay any dividends owed.
For the sake of simplicity the Otakanini Topu Committee of Management has maintained a policy of a minimum of 5 whole shares and recommends that whanau consider other ways to hold shares (eg family trusts) where the succession will fragment shareholdings below that number.
We also recommend that whanau ask the court to allocate any part shares to only one member of the whanau in order to avoid part shares.
This is provided as an information guide only and all queries regarding succession, whanau trusts or the processes of TeTure Whenua 1993 should be directed in the first instance to the Maori Land Court.