Like much of the land at Otakou and out to the heads, the Burns’ property is leasehold Maori land. “Originally, our annual rental was 25 shillings, paid to Aunt Alice, and no rates,” Burns told me. “But now the lease is $250, with $450 in rates as well. We get a 20-year lease with a 20-year right of renewal. Many owners have been assured of further renewals, although there was a case recently where a lease was not renewed and the cribbie lost everything. The owners of that land came from up north. But for the most part relations between the local Maori and the 200 or so cribbies are pretty good.”