Kaikohe's senior police officer wasn't surprised to hear last week that some vehicles in the town are sporting alternative registration plates, registration documents and warrant of fitness stickers, but he wasn't losing any sleep over them.
"We've had a few of these over the years," Senior Sergeant Brian Swann said.
"Different versions have been popping up for probably 15 years."
Anyone found driving such a vehicle would be failing to comply with the Transport Act and traffic regulations, he added, and would be ticketed in the same way as any other vehicle lacking the proper registration or warrant of fitness.
"There won't be any discussion. The car will be treated as unregistered," he said.
The owner of a Kaikohe business said he that had heard about the alternative registrations about three months ago, but hadn't seen any until last week, when he saw two in two days. He had informed the police but nothing had come of that.
A car with the registration plates 075TTW had a registration label reading: This motorcar certificate of registration is issued under the Joint Sovereign Partnership Authority Mandate acting together the "British Crown (UK) Kawanatanga" and "Tangata Whenua (NZ) Rangatiratanga" and in pursuance of Sections 2(3), 5, 253 & 284(4) of Te Ture Whenua Maori Land Act 1993 amended by Sec 268(3) Te Ture Whenua Maori Amendment Act 1994 and the Maori Incorporations Constitution Regulations 1995; namely Nga Tikanga Maori Law/Lore Society (Inc.) o Aotearoa and the Native Waka Districts Motor Vehicle Act 2005.