Hikoi size estimates range from 10,000 to 30,000

We will never know exactly how many people were at yesterday's hikoi against the Government's foreshore and seabed policy.

Certainly it was well into the thousands. But just how many thousands? Some say 10 or 15, some 20 and others 30.

Mid-morning, the crowd set off from Te Papa, the national museum. The main strand of the hikoi, which had left the Far North two weeks ago and spent last night in Porirua, was joined at Te Papa by an eastern North Island strand that spent the night in Masterton.

More marchers from the South Island and a smaller one-lane road march from the Wellington suburb of Newtown boosted the numbers.

Police estimated the hikoi was 10,000-strong.

Then, as the march drew closer to its destination, Parliament, the numbers swelled even more, but not to as much as triple as some have claimed, Wellington police say.

"We put the crowd between 10,000 and 15,000 - 15,000 tops. That's based on how they filled up Parliament grounds plus observations through the march itself," said Wellington police spokeswoman Kaye Calder.

"It is notoriously difficult to count crowds but given the actual time it takes to get people through intersections, and because we police a lot of demonstrations anyway, you do have an idea of the size."

Former Alliance MP Willie Jackson was willing to argue the toss with television host Paul Holmes last night.

"It was a magnificent day today. There was more than 20,000 actually, Paul - you keep saying 15,000," he said.

Herald political reporter Kevin Taylor put the crowd at 20,000 after carrying out a careful grid count.

But as one of the Hikoi organisers, Hone Harawira, said, the message was important, not the numbers.

He still opted for the high estimate in his quotes.

"How many were there? I've heard 20,000 on television and 30,000," Harawira said on National Radio.

"You can't assume 30,000 people don't know what's going on, eh?"

Wellington marches

* July 1981, against the Springbok rugby tour: 12,000.

* May 1985, against Cavaliers' rebel rugby tour of South Africa: 10,000 to 15,000.

* May 1986, farmers on the exchange rate: 6000 and seven top-dressing planes.

* February 1988, public servants against the State Sector Bill: 13,000.

* April 1991, against the Employment Contracts Act: 12,000.

* December 2003, celebration of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: 100,000.

- NZPA