A tribal neighbour of the Porirua-based iwi Ngati Toa has begun a final bid in the High Court at Wellington to stop the Crown from giving away land to which it has historical rights.
Ngati Toa initialled a $75 million Treaty settlement agreement with the Crown four months ago, which included $50 million in cash payments and the chance to buy several properties in the Wellington area.
But the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, which represents a Taranaki tribal collective, is arguing the Crown betrayed their 2009 settlement in its agreement with Ngati Toa, by offering Ngati Toa land Taranaki Whanui have rights to without consulting them.
More than 300 sites of cultural importance to Taranaki Whanui are in the Wellington area.
An urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing bid last month by the trust to stop the Ngati Toa Crown package failed.
The hearing is expected to last two days.