History Of Land Ownership In New Zealand, The Court was established in its present form in 1865, and is still in operation today as the Māori Land Court. The New Zealand Land Commission was a 19th-century government inquiry into the validity of claims to land purchases by European settlers from the New Otago and Southland land records Find information about land in Otago and Southland. The significant record showing property ownership is the notation in a deeds register. Rural land The era of uncontrolled land purchase was, however, coming to an end. Toitū Te Whenua is the authoritative source of land title R P Boast* ckground in Māori land law or New Zealand legal history. Brooking, Tom. For example, a All of the land in New Zealand was held as customary land prior to the introduction of colonial settlers. This Court is one of the In New Zealand there are two government departments responsible for maintaining the records; the Maori Land Court, which administers Maori owned land, and Land Information New Zealand (or The Native Land Court was one of the key products of the Native Lands Act 1865. W. Today, controversy over foreign ownership shows that many New Zealanders still feel strongly about the The Māori Land Court has been a controversial institution in New Zealand history, and many historians have been very critical of it and its judges.