The man charged with the murder of 31-year-old Barry Junior Hunt has been remanded to the Tauranga High Court.
Mr Hunt died last night after an altercation between a small group of men at a house in Kawerau about 7.30pm, police said.
Mr Hunt suffered a severe head injury caused by an axe.
He was taken to Whakatane Hospital in a critical condition and he died in the early hours of this morning.
Murder-accused Cameron Hunt, 25, of Kawerau appeared before Judge Louis Bidois in the Whakatane District Court today.