Wellington City Council has extended the deadline for an iwi collective to pay up in a disagreement over a waka.
The council and Te Runanganui o Taranaki Whanui on 20 April agreed the runanga could keep the council-commissioned canoe Te Raukura in exchange for $150,000 to be paid within 28 days.
The council said it had not received any money by the deadline on Wednesday. However, it has given the runanga five extra days and now requires payment by the end of Monday.
The runanga gained posession of the waka in 2006, when the council took it to Waiwhetu Marae to be repaired.
The runanga says the council damaged it, and had been refusing to release it until cultural safeguards were put in place to protect its care and use.
The council says it is talking to its lawyers and is not ruling out legal action.
