The recent appointment of land commissioners in Niue is expected to free up the island's chief justice to deal with more complex land disputes.
Since Cyclone Heta destroyed the Land Court in 2004, land cases have been heard by a New Zealand judge who makes six monthly trips.
The deputy registrar of the Niue High Court, Darren Tohovaka, says they have reinstated the old land commissioner roles and seven appointees will soon receive training.
He says it was always the government's intention to return to a system where local commissioners deal with less technical land cases.
"With the inclusion of the commissioners it will be able to, I suppose, free up some cases which might not have been referred to the judge and the complex and more legally technical cases be referred to the judge when he comes up."
Darren Tohovaka says the land commissioners will start hearing cases towards the end of the year.
