A Northland community group trying to force the return of private beachfront land to the Crown has suffered a major setback.
The Surveyor General has rejected a call by Matapouri people to re-survey the block, despite their belief that a hectare has wrongly ended up in private ownership.
Maori sold the block to the Government in 1970 as a conservation reserve and say a 1999 survey by adjoining owners has set the boundary well north of where it should be.
Tangata whenua, backed by locals, have begun court action and asked the Surveyor General to order that the survey be corrected.
But Surveyor General Ron Grant has declined, citing conflict and ambiguity in the historical survey evidence.
A Northland family affected by the land dispute says it is relieved Mr Grant has decided not to re-survey the land.
Family member Val Monk says the matter now rests with the High Court, where the Department of Conservation and tangata whenua have lodged caveats on their Matapouri land.
