Man stabbed in muttonbird dispute

A disagreement over muttonbirds has led to a fight and man stabbed on one of the islands off Stewart Island, say police.

The 37-year-old man suffered a single stab wound to the neck during the incident on Big South Cape, or Taukihepa, one of the Titi islands near Stewart Island, on Monday.

He was flown directly to Southland Hospital where he underwent surgery and was expected to be released today, said Detective Dougall Henderson of Invercargill police.

Access to the isolated islands is restricted to Rakiura Maori, who harvest muttonbirds - also known as sooty shearwaters - there, but police were granted clearance to fly to the island and a boning knife was recovered, he said.

A 49-year-old man was arrested and now faces serious assault charges.

The men had been muttonbirding together, but had a falling out over birds.

"Muttonbirds, not the other type," Mr Henderson said.

The injured man was expected to return to the island as early as today, pilot Jason Wright, of Stewart Island Helicopters, told the Southland Times.

He flew the man to Southland Hospital after dropping another party of muttonbirders off at the island.

"It came over marine radio, channel 65. There was yelling and screaming ... then a woman came on the line and I heard something about a stabbing."

He made the decision to fly him directly to hospital. The man had a towel wrapped around his neck to stem the bleeding.

"I had no paramedics on board ... he was slipping so I just kept him occupied by chatting away to him all the way."

The man accused of the stabbing will appear in Invercargill District Court on Friday.

- NZPA