Maori 'have right to stop trespassers'

A road at the centre of a dispute between Shipwreck Bay locals is private Maori land, and the owners have the right to stop people trespassing, Kaitaia police say.

Landowners from Te Kohanga Trust, who collectively own Maori freehold land abutting the beach, have been in dispute with quad bike tour guide Greg Hall, who has used a roadway which cuts through it.

The trust had argued the roadway is private and has asked Mr Hall, as a commercial operator, to pay a fee - otherwise he is trespassing.

The fee does not apply to surfers or the wider public, the trust says.

Based on a 1966 Maori Land Court order, Mr Hall believed the roadway was a public one and as such he had every right to use it.

Senior Sergeant Geoff Ryan said police had researched its status through the Maori Land Court and Land Information New Zealand after countless callouts from both parties.

"The best advice we've got ... is that piece of land is Maori freehold land. The owners have the same rights as any other freehold landowners."

That meant they were legally allowed to prevent trespassing.

The order was never ratified by the court.

Mr Ryan did not expect access to the area to be compromised because of the dispute.

"There's people who live around the reef and their only access is through that land ... they haven't had the fallout that Greg has.

"The people that do cross the land should just respect that it is private land, respect the land and treat it accordingly."

Mr Hall said he did not believe the police analysis of documents was correct but he would no longer use the road.

Te Kohanga spokesman Patau Tepania was pleased to hear Mr Hall would not be breaking the trespass order.