An iwi has still heard nothing from those who caused a national stir after removing a 23 million-year-old whale fossil from near Karamea, despite being encouraged by the police to come forward.
Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae chairman Francois Tumahai was contacted by police last week, and told those who hacked out the fossil from a rock ledge at the mouth of Little Wanganui River would be in touch.
By noon on Friday, he had still not heard from them.
Tumahai said the West Coast Regional Council, police, and now the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment were all involved.
“At the end of the day, all I want is to get it back to the community, somewhere up there.