An authority involved in a major North Island forestry settlement has been given the mandate to settle the claims of Ngati Rangitihi.
Nearly 30 percent of eligible members of the Bay of Plenty tribe took part in the vote, with 77 percent agreeing to Te Mana o Ngati Rangitihi taking the reigns.
Te Mana was part of the Central North Island collective agreement involved in divvying up the Kaingaroa Forest.
Chairman Graham Pryor said it was good to get support from the people but that the body had a lot of work to do.
The authority would take its mandate to the Crown for formal recognition.
More than 80 percent of all the tribes the Crown expects to settle with have mandated authorities in place, including iwi which have already settled.
