Voting has closed in the Uenuku Charitable Trust's drive to represent Raetihi-area Maori in the upcoming Whanganui land claims.
The trust wants to negotiate on behalf of descendants of Tamakana, Tamahaki and Uenuku - groups located in the centre of the large land claim region. Its roadshow travelled New Zealand from June 25 to mid-July.
Voting ended on July 31. The trust website says 321 people, or 42 per cent of Uenuku's registered members, had voted by 10am on July 29.
Yesterday, trust communications manager Mahanga Williams could not give a total of votes received. He was still verifying the registration of the voters, to make sure they were entitled to have a say.
He expected to publicise the number of votes cast and the total vote outcome tomorrow.