Kelvin Davis

Labour's Associate Maori Affairs Spokesperson Kelvin Davis has welcomed moves for 90 Mile Beach to revert to its original name of Te-One-Roa-a-Tohe.

Five Far North tribes signed an agreement in principle with the Crown to settle outstanding treaty grievances on Saturday at Roma Marae in Ahipara and the name change is hoped to come into effect within the next 12 months.

Most people will continue to refer to the beach as 90 Mile, but many of us have always used its original name of Te-One-Roa-a-Tohe, Kelvin Davis said.

"Te One Roa a Tohe means 'The Long Beach of Tohe' and recognises and celebrates the deeds of our famous ancestor Tohe who travelled the beach naming creeks, hills and other landmarks along the way.

"Reverting to the beach's original name simply recognises the special history and relationship that the tribes in the Far North have always had with the beach.

"The co-management arrangement that is to be established to manage the beach will hopefully re-establish the environmental and cultural integrity of the beach. Reverting to its original name is part of that process.

"I hope some of the settlement that is to be set aside to deal with social needs will be used to raise the educational achievement to prevent children from the tribes from falling out of school into the social welfare trap," Kelvin Davis said.