The Tuhoe-Waikaremoana Maori Trust Board says it shares concerns about the forestry roading network in the Ngati Awa Treaty of Waitangi settlement. The Government has postponed signing the deed of settlement with the tribe until Thursday after threats of legal action by the Central North Island Forestry Partnership receiver, Michael Stiassny, over roading access to the forest, a threat he repeated yesterday. The trust board says leaving the access issue to commercial negotiation "provides no certainty to Tuhoe and other future Maori owners of the Kaingaroa forest". "Tuhoe are extremely concerned that the Ngati Awa settlement will give rise to perpetual disputes over forest access and will ultimately devalue the forests by tens of millions of dollars." The board is challenging the Ngati Awa settlement over disputed land in the Matahina Forest and has a hearing set down in the Court of Appeal in early May. - Audrey Young. (c) The New Zealand Herald, 2003