Māori Land Online - Geographic Information System

Transcription

1 Māori Land Online - Geographic Information System Help Guide February 2011 Version 1.0

2 Contents Disclaimer... 1 Copyright... 2 Crown Copyright 2011 All rights reserved Introduction Website overview Google Maps General Navigation Zooming Map views Place marks and info-bubbles Drawing Tools Owner interest search Owner Search Trust Search Printing Block search The Management Structure Tab Block Search Tab Printing Map search Zoom Level 10 (of 20) Zoom Level 10 (of 20) (selected map) Zoom Level 17 (of 20) (Hybrid View) Zoom Level 20 (of 20) (Hybrid View) Printing Block details LINZ flag details (Title Information) LINZ flag details (Address Information) Administrators Title Owners and Memorial Schedule Title Owners Detail Print... 32

3 7.7 PDF Report (Page 1) Title Details Report Summary PDF Report (Page 2) Map PDF Report (Page 3) Land Administrators PDF Report (Page 4) Owners PDF Report (Last Page) Memorial Schedule Accessibility Frequently Asked Questions... 37

4 Disclaimer This help manual and the website it describes is a work in progress as the site is connected to live databases that may change without notice. As such, there will be cases where data in the Māori Land Court system does not match that held by Land Information New Zealand and vice versa. In such cases the parcels may be displayed incorrectly, in the wrong locale, or not displayed at all. As we continue to check and adjust the information in both systems, the integrity of information will increase over time, and so too will the summaries of data provided on the Māori Land Online website. Please note that the information contained or gathered from the site is a summary only - the accuracy of the Māori Land Court record, is itself, not accompanied by a state guarantee and to ensure accuracy users will need to verify the information against the records held by the Māori Land Court and the corresponding title information issued by Land Information New Zealand. Use of this site and any reports or information should be read in conjunction with the main disclaimer available on In the event that you do find an error or omission or you have any enquiries in respect of any Māori Land parcels or interests in Māori Land presented on this site you can contact your local Māori Land Court Registry office by visiting for further assistance, or, if you enquiry is about any technical aspect of the site you can contact the site owner, the Chief Registrar of the Māori Land Court at: Office of the Chief Registrar Māori Land Court DX Box SX WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND PHN FAX EML mlol@justice.govt.nz Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 1

5 Copyright Google, Google Map and material available through Google is licensed to the Ministry of Justice and is Copyright to Google Incorporated. Its use is covered by the Google Maps/Earth Terms of Service. Permission to use copyrighted materials from Google must be obtained from Google Incorporated and cannot be obtained from the Ministry of Justice. Crown Copyright 2011 All rights reserved Unless otherwise indicated, the material available in this guide and/or on or through Māori Land Online is protected by Crown copyright. You can reproduce this Crown copyright material free of charge without further permission for personal or in-house use as long as you: Reproduce the material accurately; Do not use the material in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context; and Acknowledge the source and copyright status of the material. Requests and enquiries concerning the reproduction of information in this guide or on Māori Land Online for any purpose other than personal or in-house use should be directed to the above address. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 2

6 1. Introduction The Māori Land Online site was originally launched by the Māori Land Court (MLC) and the Ministry of Justice in 2004 providing an online resource to land owners and interested parties to search for land interests, block information, trust/reservation/incorporation information and memorial schedule entries. In 2010 Māori Land Online underwent a major redesign resulting in the launch, in 2011, of an upgraded Māori Land Online site which brings together data on Māori Land by matching the Māori Land Court Title information with the Title, Survey and Parcel information held by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). This data is then merged into a database and through the use of a Geographic Information System, Google Maps/Earth, is displayed both geographically and statistically. Data from the Māori Land Information System is updated as changes are made by the Māori Land Court, thereby reflecting the affect of successions and title information as it is entered by staff of the Court. Data from Land Information New Zealand is updated on a monthly basis through the LandOnline bulk data extract provided by Terralink International Ltd. In addition to the underlying purpose of the original Māori Land Online site, the purpose of the new GIS site is to: Bring together the information about Māori land currently held by the Māori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand into a one stop shop of information; Make information about Māori land more accessible to Māori landowners, trusts, incorporations and thereby to encourage greater utilisation; Make more authoritative information available to other agencies to assist in the long term cultural and economic planning and development of areas in which Māori land is located; Ensure the ongoing integrity of information held by the Māori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand; Enable the Māori Land Court to provide a better service to its Judiciary and Clients by providing an enhanced resource that has richer information, is more informative, user friendly; and Provide the first step in developing a Ministry of Justice wide GIS solution. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 3

7 2. Website overview Welcome to the new Māori Land Online website. By default all users will start at the Owner Interest screen, from which you can navigate around the site using the different features on the site. The following screen shot provides a brief overview of the options available from the main page: Web link to the main Māori Land Court website Select which language in which to display to site Select the type of search Download the help manual Name of current search Select the type of shares/blocks you are searching for Enter your search Link to the Ministry of Justice website Links to important information pages for the site Information to show when data was last updated on the site Link to the New Zealand Government website Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 4

8 3. Google Maps The Māori Land Online GIS site introduces three main search functions: Owner interest search; Block search; and Map search. In addition there are a number of common navigation and information bubbles that are used throughout the site which add to the level of data made available for use. Before considering the types of searches available it is important to first consider these common navigation tools. 3.1 General Navigation This site utilises the Google Maps application, and therefore a number of common navigation tools rely on the standard Google navigation model. The following screen shot provides an example of a standard search page from the site. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 5

9 3.2 Zooming To Zoom in or out: Use the scroll wheel of your mouse to zoom in or out; and You also double-click on an area of interest to zoom in. To pan (move the map), click and drag the map using the mouse. In addition you can also use the navigation controls inside the left side of the map to zoom in/out and pan. The navigation controls you see for all the maps are shown on the left. Navigation controls include: 1. Arrows - Click the appropriate arrow buttons to move the view north, south, east or west. 2. Zoom - Click + to zoom in. Click - to zoom out. 3. Zoom slider - Drag the zoom slider up or down to zoom in or out incrementally. Note: There are currently 20 zoom levels available in this application. 3.3 Map views To the right you will note a symbol which when selected drops down a list of selectable map views and map layers: Base Layer: Google Streets = displays the standard Google street map only; Google Physical Map = displays elevation and limited topography information; Google Hybrid = displays street map with any available satellite/aerial images; and Google Satellite = displays satellite/aerial images Overlays: Editable Vectors = is a special layer upon which you can draw basic shapes to highlight parts of the map; and All Māori Land Blocks = is the Māori Land layer overlay. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 6

10 3.4 Place marks and info-bubbles Place marks provide an important link between the visual map and information contained on the data layer. A red marker points to a location on the map as a result of a search. The marker is clickable with the mouse and will display an info-bubble containing a summary of Māori Land Court data associated with the land A yellow marker points to different LINZ parcels that make up a Māori Land Court block. Each marker is clickable and will display an info-bubble containing a summary of LINZ data associated with the highlighted parcel. A blue marker indicates that the marker has been selected and an infobubble displayed. A green marker will appear on a Māori Land Court block where a physical address exists. Each marker is clickable and will display an info-bubble containing the physical address of the block taken from LINZ data associated with the block. An example of Info-bubbles as they appear with markers is shown below: A red marker showing the location of a block on a Google Map. The info-bubble shows a summary of Māori Land Court data with a link at the bottom to open a more detailed view of information associated with the block. Note the reference number which is the Māori Land Court block number. To close the info-bubble select the X in the top right corner. A yellow marker showing the LINZ parcel information associated with this Māori Land Court block. Note the reference number which in this case is the LINZ parcel information associated with this block. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 7

11 A green marker showing the physical address of this part of the block. The infobubble shows the LINZ parcel ID and address information assocaited with this block. 3.5 Drawing Tools Google Maps provides the additional ability for users to draw limited shapes on Maps that are displayed through the use of the drawing tools which are located at the top right of the Google Map Window. Note: The Drawing Tools are not selection tools, they only allow you to draw shapes on the map in addition at this stage the facility to print the shapes on the map is currently not available. The Filled Point Function When selected, this will allow a user to place four points on the map which will created a filled square The Point to Point Function When selected, this will allow a user to place points on a map which will be joined by a straight line between points The Point Function When selected, this will allow users to mark specific points on a map The Drag Tool When selected the drawing tools are deactivated and the mouse returns to a normal drag and zoom tool The resulting drawings can be turned on or off by selecting or deselecting the Editable Vectors option in the map layers drop down box. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 8

12 4. Owner interest search The owner interest search is the default search page for the site and provides users with the ability to search by an owner s name or by the name of a whānau or kaitiaki trust. Rather than rely on a simple first name last name search as has previously been the case, the search function now utilises an enhanced auto-complete function which will search for the given name anywhere in the first name or last name or whānau or kaitiaki trust name, providing a drop down list of results from which you can select a particular name or trust. 4.1 Owner Search Consider the following example of a search for the name Smith : Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 9

13 Note the list of results is ordered by last name then first name(s). Note also that the results show results for any occurrence of Smith in either the last or first names listed. By selecting a name and hitting the SEARCH button, the site will return a set of results which are sorted by Māori Land Court District, and then by Block Name as such: Note the fields shown in the results: Block ID = the Māori Land Court block ID; Block Name = the Māori Land Block name with any alternative block name sown in brackets. Each name is link which will allow you to see more detailed information in respect of the block (the block detail report is covered in section 7); Shares = the number of shares held by the selected person; Minute Book Ref = the Māori Land Court minute/order at which the Court transferred/vested the shares in the selected person; Ownership Type = Indicates how the shares are vested in the selected person examples include: o Absolute = all shares are vested; Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 10

14 o Life Interest = the shares are only vested for the person s lifetime or until they remarry following the death of their partner these shares cannot be transferred; o Remainder = the shares are held by someone else as a life interest which will be transferred to you absolutely if they die or remarry; o Trustee = the interests are held by you as a trustee of a trust on behalf of those beneficiaries; o Joint Tenant = the shares are held jointly with someone else; and o Minor = the shares are held by a trustee on behalf of a minor. District = the Māori Land Court District in which the land is located. 4.2 Trust Search Consider the following example of a search for a whānau or kaitiaki trust that has the phrase toko in the name: Again, note the list of results is ordered by the name of the trust and the results show all whānau and kaitiaki trusts that contain the phrase toko". By selecting a trust and hitting the SEARCH button, the site will return a set of results which are ordered by Māori Land Court District, and then by Block Name as such but with one addition: Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 11

15 In addition to providing the same information in columns as those in the owner search above, a trust search will also display a summary of information relating to the trust: Trust name = the name of the whānau or kaitiaki trust; Reference = the minute/order which created the whānau or kaitiaki trust; and Trustees = the names of the trustees, listed by last name then first name with their position listed by their name. Again as with the owner search example above, you can select the block name to find more detailed information about the selected block. 4.3 Printing The owner interest searches are the only types of search in which the native browser print function will operate. In both cases, the resulting list(s) can be printed by selecting File + Print in your browser. Please ensure you select the correct orientation of the printed page (either portrait or landscape). Search results are best printed in landscape. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 12

16 5. Block search The block search focuses on management structures such as ahu wheuna, whānau and kaitiaki trusts, māori reservations and incorporations as well as the blocks themselves. However unlike the owner interest search(s) the block search function introduces the Google Map functionality and locations to results. The search function continues the use of an enhanced auto-complete function by expanding the search to include (when selected) the management structure name or the block name (or the alternative block name) in a selectable dropdown list of results. 5.1 The Management Structure Tab As the name suggests, the management structure tab deals with searches as they relate to land trusts (including whānau and kaitiaki trusts), incorporations and/or reservations that administer Māori land. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 13

17 Consider the following example of a search for a trust with manga in the name: Note the enhanced auto-complete function searches all management structures for the given characters anywhere in the management structure name as seen in the dropdown list of results above. By selecting Section 7 & 13 Block VII Mangaoporo Survey District Trust and hitting the Search button the result window will change to display the following results: Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 14

18 Note that there are 5 blocks administered by this trust. Each block is listed in the results window down the left of the page with a red marker which corresponds to the map on the right. The results activate the Google Maps general navigation options noted earlier including the ability to select red markers in the result list or in the map window to open info-bubbles for example: By clicking on either the Block Name in the results list or the View Title Details link in the info-bubble will open another block detail window for the selected block. The block detail report is covered in section 7. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 15

19 5.2 Block Search Tab As the name suggests, the block tab deals with searches as they relate to blocks. Consider the following example of a search for a block with te kaha in the name: Note the block names in brackets these are the alternate block names as listed in the Māori Land Information System (MLIS), and include any previous appellation that the block may have had prior to the Māori Freehold Registration Project. Selecting Part Te Kaha 67 (Te Kaha 67 (Part)) and hitting Search button yields the following result: Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 16

20 In this case the marker has been selected allowing us to view a summary of the Māori Land Court information in respect of the block and the Layer selector has been expanded indicating the views and overlays available for use in this map. Clicking on either the block name in the result list or the View Title Details in the infobubble will open the block detail window for the selected block. The block detail report is covered in a section 7. In addition the results activate the Google Maps general navigation options noted earlier including the ability to select red markers in the result list or in the map window to open infobubbles 5.3 Printing In this search only browser printing is supported, by selecting File then Print from the menu. However, the map will not appear on the printed result list. You will need to drill down further by opening a block details window for a selected block at which point a more advanced report can be generated and provided in Adobe Portable Document File (PDF) format. Printing block detail reports will be covered in section 7.6. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 17

21 6. Map search The map search beings together the general navigation functions of Google Maps with the ability to select Māori Land blocks directly from the map. The map is intuitive, and utilises the standard Google Maps general navigation options as discussed earlier. By zooming down into the map through the use of the zoom slider to the left of the map, or, by using the scroll wheel on the mouse, you can view areas on the map to a level of detail that will allow you to identify blocks in a particular part of the country. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 18

22 Consider the following maps: 6.1 Zoom Level 10 (of 20) Note that areas shaded in grey are parcels that have been identified as Māori Freehold Land and which are selectable by clicking the area with the mouse. Those areas shaded green are those that LINZ have identified as parks, domains open areas that can include golf courses. In addition by utilising the layer selector to the right of the map, satellite and hybrid views can be activated to provide a richer real time view of land in the map. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 19

23 6.2 Zoom Level 10 (of 20) (selected map) In this example we are still at zoom level 10, but have selected a shaded block. In this case, Kaimanawa No. 1F block. An info-bubble will pop up which will contain a summary of title information for the selected block. The window can be closed by clicking the x icon in the corner of the info-bubble, or by selecting another parcel of land. The info-bubble also includes a link to View title details, which will take you to the block details page. Note: By selecting this link a new window/tab will open in your browser. This behaviour has been programmed to allow you to continue to have the map visible in the background while reviewing the block detail page. The block detail report is covered in a section 7. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 20

24 6.3 Zoom Level 17 (of 20) (Hybrid View) The availability of the physical map, hybrid map or the satellite map through Google is limited by the Google Maps not by the Māori Land Online application and therefore in some cases detailed maps may not be available. This is particularly the case for the Google Physical Map view, which currently only has a zoom level of up to 16, whereas the normal hybrid or satellite view have a zoom level of up to 20. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 21

25 6.4 Zoom Level 20 (of 20) (Hybrid View) In this example the maximum zoom level of 20 has been selected in Google Hybrid view. Note in this example the Māori land layers seem to be out of sync with the satellite picture. This highlights the differences between the different layers in Google. The satellite layer has been sourced by Google through a third party supplier, whereas the Māori land layer has been sourced through Land Information New Zealand. There will be other examples where layers do not line up exactly on the map. This illustrates that users should exercise caution when relying solely on imagery supplied through the Māori Land Online website. The data on the Māori Land Online website is for information purposes and it is indicative only. It is not accompanied by any state guarantee as to title nor is it meant to replace any title issued by the Court or Land Information New Zealand and is subject to confirmation by the Court and Land Information New Zealand. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 22

26 6.5 Printing Printing in the map view is through the use of the Print Map link. Unlike previous examples of printing which are provided through print function of the browser, the Map Search introduces the PDF model of printing. For the purposes of printing maps the browser print function has been disabled in favour of selecting the link to provide a PDF document. The use of PDF documents is a security measure to limit the likelihood of other online sites or users who may try to download the entire mapping system from our site. The PDF format allows a certain level of control over the use of maps from the website whilst balancing the needs of users to identify areas in which Māori land exists. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 23

27 Printing is on the basis of what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) approach. In the above example a PDF will be generated in Google Hybrid view as follows: In this case, the selected land block is outlined in red, and other Māori land blocks in the immediate are highlighted as green blocks. The numbers within the blocks are the Māori Land Court block ID reference for the block (and not the associated Land Information New Zealand parcel ID). All PDF reports will be printed with the Māori Land Court and Ministry of Justice logos as well as an appropriate disclaimer and time and date on which the PDF was generated and the dates on which the information in the map was last updated. PDF documents can be saved or used for personal or in-house use only. The ongoing use of information from this site is covered by the terms of Crown Copyright as detailed on page 2 of this guide. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 24

28 7. Block details As referred to in the results from an Owner Interest Search, a Block Search or a Map Search the Block Details page provides title, map and ownership details for a given block of land. The example below is a sample of the Block details page for Part Te Kaha 67 block: The page provides a summary of information held by the Māori Land Court along the left and a Google Map, which when used in conjunction with the general navigation features, will show the location and (where available) any aerial topography up to a zoom level of 20. Further down the page, block administrators (if any), owners and any memorial schedule entries are also supplied with additional information in some cases. Users should note that there are a number of features that differ slightly on the map, with the introduction of Land Information New Zealand parcel and address data. Each part of block details page are discussed in the following examples. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 25

29 7.1 LINZ flag details (Title Information) In the block details page, the place marker on the map, indicating the location of the block, changes from the normal red, to yellow. This indicates that the info-bubble now contains information in respect of title information held by Land Information New Zealand (in addition to the data summarised on the page held by the Māori Land Court). In the above example, the hybrid view has been enabled and the yellow marker selected showing a summary of LINZ Title Information. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 26

30 7.2 LINZ flag details (Address Information) In some cases in the block details page, the map may also display a green marker in addition to the yellow marker discussed above. By selecting the green marker, the info-bubble will display current address details held by Land Information New Zealand in respect of that part of the block. In the above example, the info-bubble displays the address 6910 SH 35, Opotiki-Potaka. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 27

31 7.3 Administrators As indicated earlier, the block details report contains information about any land trusts over the land, the owners and any memorial schedule entries. In the above example we have scrolled down the page in the browser which indicates that there are Land Administrator(s) for this block, and from left to right the fields are: Management Structure Name = The name of the trust or incorporation in which the land is vested. In this case Te Kaha 67 & Other Blocks Ahu Whenua Trust ; Active Administrators = The names of the current trustees / administrators of the trust or incorporation order by Last Name, then First Name. Note also their position is included in the description where available. In this case you will note that the Māori Trustee is listed as a Custodian Trustee; Vested Land (ha) = The total area of land (in hectares) vested in the trust; and Minute Book Reference = The reference to the Court order that created the trust. Where there are multiple administrators, each will appear in its own box with any corresponding information. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 28

32 7.4 Title Owners and Memorial Schedule Below the Land Administrator(s) section of the block details page are entries for the owners and further down the page any memorial schedule entries. In the case of the memorial schedule entries at the bottom of the page, the table contains a number of fields each of which are: Date = The date upon which the document or instrument was executed; Authority = A reference to the section of the appropriate legislation, regulation or rule under which the the document of instrument was noted in the records of the Court; Minute Book Reference = The reference to the Court minute, order, title notice or other document under which the physical document or instrument is made or stored; and Description = A description or summary of the document of instrument that has been noted by the Court. Entries on the memorial schedule by staff in a Registry Office will be updated immediately on the GIS site as they are entered. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 29

33 7.5 Title Owners Detail The title - owners table in the block details page provides a drop down list of additional information which was not available in the previous Māori Land Online website. In this case each field is as follows: Name = the name of the owner, ordered by Last name, First name and including the owner ID number. In the case of trusts, this would be the name of the trust followed by the trust ID number; Trustee or Remainder name = where the owner is a trust, this displays a summary of trustee names. In the case of an interest for life or some other defined tenancy, the names of those persons administering the estate, related owners or beneficiaries of the life tenancy are listed; Alternative Names = Where the Court record notes alias for an owners, these are listed; Ownership Type = Indicates the type of interest the Owner, Trustee, Remainder or otherwise have in the block; Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 30

34 Min BK Ref = The reference to the Court minute and order at which the person received their ownership type; Ratio = In the case of remainder interests, this field indicates the fraction of the original shares to which the remainder are entitled; and Shares = The total number of shares held by the owner. The table will show a maximum of 100 ownership records with the facility to page through the results provided beneath the table, and immediately before the memorial schedule table. All information (with the exception of the data in the info-bubbles on the map) can be printed to a PDF. Unfortunately the ability to print the information using the browser file + print function has been deactivated for this page. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 31

35 7.6 Print The block details page continues the use of Adobe Portable Document Files (PDF s) as an alternative to standard web browser printing for security of the data but also for convenience to allow users to distribute a full copy of information available on a particular block. In the above example, when the Print Block Details link in the upper right corner of the page above the map is selected, a window will open showing four selectable options. Each relates to a different part of the page and will allow you to include or exclude any part of the block detail page as you require. Note: A warning will appear if the list of owners contains a large number of owners. In such cases, there may be a notable delay in the generation of the PDF document. In terms of the map again, what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG). If you have the hybrid view activated then the map returned in the PDF will be exactly what is on the screen. An example of the output of the PDF follows. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 32

36 7.7 PDF Report (Page 1) Title Details Report Summary Page one is a summary of title information in respect of the block. It is headed with the block name and the block ID (in this case ). At the bottom of each page a Disclaimer is printed with the date upon which the Māori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand data were last updated and the date and time of production of the PDF. 7.8 PDF Report (Page 2) Map Page two provides the map view. Note on the left a summary of parcel ID s is supplied. These parcels relate to the information supplied by Land Information New Zealand. The numbers inside the map are the Māori Land Court block ID s. The block to which the PDF relates is highlighted by the red outline around the approximate boundary of the block. All other Māori land in the area have a light green outline to differentiate them from the selected block. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 33

37 7.9 PDF Report (Page 3) Land Administrators Land administrators are printed on page three and include the same information printed on the block details page. Note the trustee names are listed in Last name, First name order with their position PDF Report (Page 4) Owners The remaining pages will provide a tabular summary of the ownership information available from the block details page. In the case of trusts, the appropriate trustees will be listed, with their appropriate minute book reference. Note also, that where an owner appears multiple times (with the same owner ID number), this indicates that the owner has received interests from multiple sources and the minute book references will differ. As in the example below: In all cases, the list is ordered by Last Name (or Trust Name) and includes the owner or trust ID, any trustees, alternative names, ownership type, minute book references, share ratios and shares held. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 34

38 7.11 PDF Report (Last Page) Memorial Schedule The memorial schedule entries round out the end of a PDF report. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 35

39 8. Accessibility Users of this site should be aware that it incorporates an open source JavaScript library called the Dojo Toolkit to provide rich internet application features such as the ownership lists and map searches. Whilst every effort has been made to meet the requirements of version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), as a system which relies on the consolidation of data from underlying databases to build a useable external Geographic Information System, technologies such as JavaScript are used throughout the site. As such there may be some pages that may not be fully functional without the use of JavaScript such as: Google maps; GIS based map searches; The display of some block details such as ownership and memorial schedule lists; and Block information which is provided in PDF format. This may particularly be an issue for users who have a visual impairment and who rely on the use of web readers that may not be compatible with JavaScript or with Adobe Acrobat PDF files. Where users find accessibility has been adversely affected by the use of JavaScript or incompatibility with PDF, we are able to provide the information in alternative formats on a case by case basis and we ask that you contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 36

40 9. Frequently Asked Questions What follows is a list of FAQ s in respect of different functions of the site and is intended to assist users to understand different functions and/or limitations that may exist. It is not meant as a definitive guide or as legal advice. 1. I think I may own shares in Māori Land how can I find out? You can use the Owner Interest Search on the site by entering your surname and selecting your name from the drop down list. 2. I think my mother/father/grandparent/uncle/aunty may have shares in Māori Land how can I find out? You can use the Owner Interest Search on the site by entering their surname(s) and selecting a name from the drop down list. Where they have multiple names, simply start a new Owner Interest Search with a different name. 3. Someone in my family has passed away and we are trying to find their land is that available on Māori Land Online? Yes. If you know their name, you can check through an Owner Interest Search or if you know the blocks, you can check the block details through the Block or Map search. 4. Why don t share details on Incorporations show up? The Registrar of the Māori Land Court does not maintain the details of shares held in Māori Incorporations. Shareholder lists are maintained by the associated Incorporation and you will need to approach them directly for assistance. 5. Why do I need to enter last name and first name(s)? Can I still enter a person s first name? The change in names in the Māori Land Online system brings us in line with generally accepted web and government usability standards. You can still search using either the first name or last name (where known) however you may need to scroll down in the search results to find the name you are looking for. 6. Can I print the owner interest search results? Yes. Owner interest results can be printed through your browser by selected File and Print. Please note that search results are best printed in landscape. 7. My blocks don t show up in the results what s happening? In some cases you may have interests under different names, so please re-try the owner interest search with any other name by which you may be known. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 37

41 If you have any difficulty, you can contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 8. I know the name of the block is that enough? Yes. You can conduct a block search to locate the land and/or look at any details in respect of that land. 9. Has the name of my blocks changed? In some cases the appellation (block name) may be changed to reflect the legal name of the block which is recorded in the Land Information New Zealand record. The previous name is still in the Māori Land Online system, and you can still search by the previous name through the block search. 10. How can I find a block? If you know the name (or part of the name) of the block you can use the block search. Otherwise, if you know the general location of the block you can use the map search to try and locate the land. 11. How can I find out which blocks are in a trust? By using the management structure search tab in the block search. 12. The map says No GIS data is currently available for that block please check with the Māori Land Court district office in which the land is located or contact LINZ for further assistance what does this mean? The Māori Land Online system relies on the Parcel ID that is listed in the Māori Land Court system matching the associated Parcel ID located in the Land Information System. Properly matched parcels are displayed on the site. Where a Parcel ID is incorrect in the Māori Land Court system, please contact staff in the district in which your land is located to discuss the need to check and if required update the Parcel ID. 13. My land is in the wrong place on the map what s going on and what can I do? The Māori Land Online system relies on the Parcel ID that is listed in the Māori Land Court system matching the associated Parcel ID located in the Land Information System. Properly matched parcels are displayed on the site. Where an incorrect Parcel ID is listed in the Māori Land Court system, it could possibly point to the wrong location on the map. If this is the case please contact staff in the district in which your land is located to discuss the need to check and if required update the Parcel ID. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 38

42 14. Not all my land is showing up on the map what s going on and what can I do? The Māori Land Online system relies on the Parcel ID that is listed in the Māori Land Court system matching the associated Parcel ID located in the Land Information System. Properly matched parcels are displayed on the site. If some of your blocks are not displayed on the map then please contact staff in the district in which your land is located to discuss the need to check and if required update the Parcel ID. 15. I think I know where the block is can I find it on a map? Yes by using the map search function and zooming to the area in which you believe the block maybe located. 16. Can I print maps from Māori Land Online? Yes. Maps can be printed at any level in the map search or the block details results of the site. However, maps are printed in PDF format, and in some cases if the zoom level is too high, they may not be recognisable on the resulting map. 17. Can I print owner lists and other information from Māori Land Online? Yes title summaries, trust administration details, maps, owners and memorial schedule information can be printed to a PDF through the block details page of the site. However, information is printed in PDF format and is subject to Crown Copyright. 18. What if I can t open PDF files is there any other way to get information? Alternative formats are available upon request and are considered on a case by case basis. You can contact staff in the district in which your land is located to discuss this further. 19. I need further assistance who can I talk to? Please feel free to call contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 20. How often is the site updated? Information from the Māori Land Court is updated live as it is modified by staff in the Court. Information from Land Information New Zealand around block location is updated at the end of every month. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 39

43 21. Is the information on the site the same as what LINZ have? Yes the information on the site is supplied by Land Information New Zealand through Terralink as part of their monthly Bulk Data Extract. 22. Can I download my title order from Māori Land Online? No. You will still need to contact the Māori Land Court for copies of orders or minutes of the Court. 23. I think some of my details are incorrect who can I talk to? Please feel free to contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance - a list of Māori Land Court Offices are available on the website. 24. When I use the Hybrid view or the Satellite view, the highlighted land block isn t where it should be on the map. What s going on? The Māori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand data forms a layer which lies over the Google Map information supplied to Google. In some cases, the data supplied to Google may be incorrect. In such cases, there may be difference in the location on a map of the Māori Land Court information. While every effort has been taken to minimise this issue, the use of this site should be read in conjunction with the disclaimer, and is a summary for information purposes only. Title information would need to be properly verified by the Māori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand. Please feel free to call contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 25. The land on the Chatham Island looks like it is partially out in the sea what s happening? The Māori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand data forms a layer which lies over the Google Map information supplied to Google. In some cases, the data supplied to Google may be incorrect. In such cases, there may be difference in the location on a map of the Māori Land Court information. While every effort has been taken to minimise this issue, the use of this site should be read in conjunction with the disclaimer, and is a summary for information purposes only. Title information would need to be properly verified by the Māori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand. Please feel free to contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 40

44 26. When I select Lake Taupō the map takes a long time to load or my browser crashes what s happening? Unfortunately if you are using Internet Explorer this browser has some difficulty in generating the outline required to show Lake Taupō in a map search when it is selected due to the complex nature of the map that needs to be generated. While Internet Explorer will eventually show the outline it may take up to 60 seconds before the browser will respond. 27. I can t see some of my aggregated blocks. Is there a reason for this? Unfortunately this is a technical issue discovered as part of the development of the new site. Properly created aggregations in the Māori Land Court system do not display ownership records correctly on the site due to the way they have been created in the underlying Court database. The original blocks that form part of the aggregation have their own Parcel ID s and are displayed separately, however in most cases the ownership list will not display and map information. We are working to correct this issue and in the interim should you have problems in respect of aggregations please feel free to call contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 28. I know my land is Māori land but it s not showing up on the map can this be fixed? Yes this may be related to an incorrect Parcel ID being recorded in the Māori Land Court system. If some of your blocks are not displayed on the map then please contact staff in the district in which your land is located to discuss the need to check and if required update the Parcel ID. 29. I know my land is not Māori land but it is showing up on the map can this be fixed? Yes this may be related to an incorrect Parcel ID being recorded in the Māori Land Court system. If some of your blocks are displayed on the map then please contact staff in the district in which your land is located to discuss the need to check and if required update the Parcel ID. 30. Can I send an with a link to my Māori Land? Yes. However, you cannot link directly to a PDF report on the site. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 41

45 31. Can I get contact details for the trustees or owners? Yes in limited cases. However please contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. Please note that the Court will not release address information for individual owners. 32. I have a visual impairment are there alternative ways to access the site? Yes. Reports generated in Māori Land Online are available in alternative formats. However these are considered on a case by case basis and you would need to contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 33. I have my own GIS application can I download GIS data from Māori Land Online? No. GIS data is not available for download from Māori Land Online. 34. How often is the site updated? Māori Land Court data is updated live as staff make changes to the land database. Information from Land Information New Zealand in respect of Parcel ID and location is updated on a monthly basis as part of the bulk data extract. 35. Can I use information from this site? Unless otherwise indicated, the material available in this guide or on or through Māori Land Online is protected by Crown copyright. You can reproduce this Crown copyright material free of charge without further permission for personal or in-house use as long as you: a. Reproduce the material accurately; b. Do not use the material in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context; and c. Acknowledge the source and copyright status of the material. Requests and enquiries concerning the reproduction of information in this guide or on Māori Land Online for any purpose other than personal or in-house use should be directed to the above address. 36. Is the site bi-lingual? Yes, the site and reports are provided in both English and Māori. You can swap between languages by selecting the appropriate language on the top right of the site. 37. There seems to be an error in loading the site who do I contact? You can contact the site owner, the contact details for which are on page Can I use Google on my site? No. Permission to use copyrighted materials from Google must be obtained from Google Incorporated and cannot be obtained from the Māori Land Court or the Ministry of Justice. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 42

46 39. Why are my details on Māori Land Online? Information on the Māori Land Online site is a summary of information contained in the Permanent Record of the Court as defined by part 19 of the Māori Land Court Rules Under the rules, the Registrar is required to ensure that the permanent record of the Court is available for public inspection and the data on the Māori Land Online site is in satisfaction of the regulatory requirement to provide this information to the public. Where you are concerned in respect of information contained on this site please contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 40. Under Title-Owners in the Block Search Results it says No owners exist for this title please check with the Māori Land Court district office in which the land is located what does this mean? The Māori Land Court system may not record any owners for that block. If you believe this to be an error, please contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 41. Under Land Administrator(s) in the Block Search Results it says No records found what does this mean? The Māori Land Court system does not record any administrators for that block. If you believe this to be an error, please contact your local Māori Land Court office for further assistance. 42. When I change into Te Reo Māori why do the place names not appear in Māori? The place names on the map are controlled by Google and supplied to them through an independent third party supplier. The Māori Land Court has no control over elements in the Google map other than the layers used to display the locations of blocks. Māori Land Online Help Guide Page 43