Swearing king tells tribe of sacking

King Tuheitia publicly criticised Ms Martin at a tribal gathering for misrepresenting financial reports. Photo / APN

King Tuheitia first told Waikato-Tainui people he was firing a leading tribal figure during a heated verbal exchange at Waikare Marae at the weekend.

Sources say his frustration was evident not only by the fact that it was the first time he'd addressed an issue directly at a poukai, but because he swore while delivering his verdict.

Traditionally, poukai were tribal gatherings to look after the poor, penniless and widows. But the meetings can also be a political forum where tribal members can take any issue they want and place it before the kingitanga leader - in effect it's an audience with the king. Equally, the king can address matters he wants to with the home people.

He usually has an enforcer, a kaumatua who controls it.

The king officially fired the tribe's parliamentary Te Kauhanganui chairwoman Tania Martin on Monday after a report was leaked to the media which criticised the amount of cash spent on governance.

He publicly criticised Ms Martin for mis-representing financial reports to Te Kauhanganui.

At Te Kauwhata on Saturday it was a hot topic.

"The argument was about Tania. He basically said he was sick of his name being dragged through the newspaper and courts.

"He's said she's f***** up and lied to him about wanting to work together for the tribe and the poukai was hearing it first that he was getting rid of her."

A woman then told him to mind his language. "He told her if she didn't like it, she could piss off," a source said.

It is also understood the king outlined how he'd tried to meet her to discuss the report but to no avail.

Within the tribe questions are being asked about why senior spokesmen for the king failed to defuse the situation.

The Herald called the king's representative Greg Miller and executive board leader Tuku Morgan for comment but they did not return calls.

A spokesman for the Office of the King said what happened at poukai between the people and their ariki [leader] was their own business.