KEY POINTS:
The presentation of the police case against 18 people arrested in last year's anti-terror raids began so slowly yesterday that many of the defendants took naps in court.
Only six of the accused, Emily Felicity Bailey, Ira Timothy Bailey, Rongomai Peropero Bailey, Omar Hamed, Rawiri Kiyami Iti and Tame Iti, had charges - 130 between them in all - read during the first day of depositions in the Auckland District Court.
Nearly a year on from the nationwide arrests, based on allegations of military-style training camps being run in the Ruatoki Valley, lawyers claimed they still did not have up-to-date information on charges their clients faced. That led to an extended break until early afternoon.
Then the sheer weight of charges, ranging from possession of molotov cocktails, AK-47s, sawn-off shotguns, Lee-Enfield rifles and semi-automatics, meant fewer than half of the defendants' charges were read.
Iti was allowed to have his charges translated into Maori after Judge Mark Perkins accepted an application by his lawyer, Annette Sykes, that Maori was her client's first language and the one he was most fluent in.
The Maori Language Act provides for court proceedings to be translated into Maori and Judge Perkins said he would allow a "liberal" interpretation of the act.
Iti thanked him in Maori and acknowledged his supporters from Tuhoe, as well as the judge.
Ms Sykes said she did not propose every piece of evidence be translated but Iti needed to be "very clear" about the allegations the Crown was making against him.
Four accused closed their eyes and appeared to be dozing during the 50 minutes it took to address Iti's charges. Some were clearly frustrated, one growling when it became clear that his name would not be called.
Omar Hamed had time to check his cellphone as the court detailed 31 charges against him.
Supporters had come prepared for a long day. One woman brought a cross-stitch project to work on.
With space tight, the accused sat in a roped-off section of the public gallery. One row of seats was left vacant.
When lawyers asked Judge Perkins to consider families who had travelled from Ruatoki for the proceedings, and to move the media from the jury box so that defendants could hear better, he remained unmoved.
"There is one row that is vacant that was done for security reasons. That is how it will remain."
While previous court appearances have seen loud protests outside the court, yesterday fewer than 10 protesters - Pakeha and Maori - sat under Maori sovereignty flags and anti-police signs.
The remaining 12 defendants are due to have their charges read to them today.
