Upper-middle river iwi Tamahaki is asking for six months to consider whether to ratify the Whanganui River settlement initialled last month, new chairman Paora Toho says.
It also wants at least 75 per cent of claimants to agree with its content. Extra time would be needed for "an informed and unhurried" decision, and for the iwi's reservations to be addressed, he said.
It was broadly in support of the settlement, but wanted to make sure descendants were "properly represented", and had written to the Minister for Treaty Settlements.
It has also been in discussion with the negotiators since late last year.
Spokesman for the negotiating team Gerrard Albert said it was three weeks since the deed was initialled and there was no push for immediate ratification.
A hui (meeting) for all river iwi on April 22 would discuss the timeframe to formal ratification, which should be within a month. He also said no treaty claim had been settled with less than 75 per cent of claimants agreeing to it. Percentages were usually much higher.
The upriver iwi had not been hurried or left uninformed, he said. "Tamahaki has been in discussion over the settlement for at least the past five years and was represented in the wider negotiation team by its chair throughout that entire period up until December 2013."