30 April 2021 
 
 
 
 
Patrick O’Connell 
 
[FYI request #15284 email]  
 
 
Tēnā koe Patrick 
 
Thank you for your email of 27 April 2021 to the Ministry of Education requesting the 
following information regarding the land Freeville School was built on: 
 
  I wish to request information describing the process by which this land was sold, and 
why there was no notification of its disposal to our family. 
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act (the Act). 
 
We have made enquiries with the relevant Business Units and have determined that the 
information you have requested is not held by the Ministry. I have therefore transferred your 
request to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) in accordance with section 14(b)(i) of the 
Act. 
 
As you are aware, the Crown purchased this land on 21 September 1956 from your 
grandmother, Mary Catherine Ryan. A gifting check completed in 2015 noted that this property 
was subject to Nga Tahu Right of First Refusal Rights provisions as provided for under the 
Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. A Preliminary notice of the Ministry’s intention to 
dispose of the land was provided to Nga Tahu in accordance with this Act in the same year. 
 
We are confident that LINZ will be able to provide you with the specific details that occurred 
following on from this process including if your family was contacted during the land disposal.  
 
You may expect a response from LINZ directly concerning your request. 
 
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review this 
decision. You can do this by writing to [email address] or Office of the 
Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143. 
 
Nāku noa, nā 
 
Lorraine Monahan 
Manager, Official and Parliamentary Information 
Government, Executive and Ministerial Services 
 
OIA: 1257998  
National Office, Mātauranga House, 33 Bowen Street, Wellington 6011 
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140. Phone: +64 4 463 8000 Fax: +64 4 463 8001 
education.govt.nz 
 

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