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Details of the sex charges faced by Hato Paora College principal Elvis Dobson Shepherd will be revealed on March 19.
The March date was set today at Feilding District Court for a hearing at which it will be decided whether Shepherd, known as Tihirau Shepherd, will have a case to answer before a jury.
His lawyer, Fergus Steedman, told Judge Alistair Garland that Shepherd, 46, was "innocent of any wrong-doing" and would enter not guilty pleas to the charges at the earliest opportunity.
The nine charges relate to alleged offences at Hato Paora, a Catholic Maori boarding school near Feilding, and in Auckland.
They date back to 1990.
Family spokesman Willie Te Aho said today family had come from as far afield as Cape Runaway to support Shepherd.
He said the family was pleased the charges were going to be heard soon because it had been a traumatic time for Shepherd.
Shepherd remains on bail.
- NZPA
