WHEREAS a representative meeting of assembled owners of the Maori freehold land known as Lake Waikaremoana, duly summoned pursuant to the provisions of Part XXIII of the Maori Affairs Act 1953, was held at Wairoa on the 26th day of September 1969 to consider a proposal to sell the Lake to the Crown: And whereas the proposed resolution to sell to the Crown was unanimously rejected by the assembled owners: And whereas the assembled owners by resolution offered to lease the lake to the Crown and by resolution set up a committee to negotiate and conclude a lease to the Crown accordingly: And whereas pursuant to negotiations duly held between the committee and between representatives of the Crown a lease to the Crown to commence from the 1st day of July 1967 was executed in the form of a deed of lease by Sir Turi Carroll and 9 other members of the committee above-mentioned on behalf of the owners on the 21st day of August 1971 and was subsequently approved by the Board of Maori Affairs acting on behalf of the Crown: And whereas it was further agreed between the committee and the Crown representatives that the rent payable under the lease should be administered by certain Maori Trust Boards for the benefit of the owners of Lake Waikaremoana and their descendants: And whereas it is expedient that the facts herein recited should be recorded and the lease above-mentioned validated and provision be made for administration of the rental accordingly.