An urgent hearing of the Waitangi Tribunal is considering a claim from a Wellington iwi that the Crown has breached Treaty principals.
The iwi claims the breach arises from offering property in the capital to lower North Island tribe Ngati Toa as part of its Treaty settlement.
The Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust alleges it was given an undertaking by the Crown that no property within its territory other than Wellington central police station would be offered to Ngati Toa.
In granting the hearing, Judge Stephen Clark noted that the Crown rejects the suggestion it should avoid giving Ngati Toa redress within the Port Nicholson Block.
The Tribunal will inquire into what commitments, if any, were made by the Crown when the police station was released from redress being offered to the Trust.
The hearing is expected to last until Thursday.
