The Chairperson of the Tribunal may from time to time appoint a Judge of the Maori Land Court as the deputy of the Chairperson of the Tribunal.

In any case in which the Chairperson of the Tribunal becomes incapable of acting by reason of illness, absence, or other sufficient cause or during any vacancy in the office of Chairperson, the deputy of the Chairperson of the Tribunal shall have and may exercise all the powers, functions, and duties of the Chairperson.

No acts done by a person holding office as the deputy of the Chairperson of the Tribunal in that person’s capacity as such deputy, and no act done by the Tribunal while a deputy of the Chairperson of the Tribunal is acting as such deputy, shall in any proceedings be questioned on the ground that the occasion for the deputy’s so acting had not arisen or had ceased.

The appointment of a Judge as the deputy of the Chairperson of the Tribunal, or service by a Judge as that deputy or as a member of the Tribunal, does not affect his or her tenure of his or her judicial office or his or her rank, title, status, precedence, salary, annual or other allowances or other rights or privileges as a Judge (including those in relation to superannuation) and, for all purposes, his or her service as a member shall be taken to be service as a Judge.”

Where a question of fact,—

arises in proceedings before the Tribunal, the Tribunal may refer that question to the Maori Appellate Court for decision.

Where a question relating to the Maori or group of Maori to whom any land or any part of any land or any interest in land is to be returned pursuant to a recommendation under section 8a(2)(a) of this Act arises in proceedings before the Tribunal, the Tribunal may refer that question to the Maori Land Court for decision.

Any question referred to the Maori Appellate Court under subsection (1) of this section or to the Maori Land Court under subsection (2) of this section shall be in the form of a special case to be drawn up by the parties (if any) to the proceedings and, if the parties do not agree, or if there are no parties, to be settled by the Tribunal.

The Maori Appellate Court shall have jurisdiction—

The Maori Land Court shall have jurisdiction to decide any question referred to it under subsection (2) of this section.

The decision of the Maori Appellate Court on any question referred to it under subsection (1) of this section and on any appeal determined by it pursuant to subsection (4)(b) of this section shall be binding on the Tribunal.

Subject to subsection (8) of this section, the decision of the Maori Land Court on any question referred to it under subsection (2) of this section shall be binding on the Tribunal.

An appeal may be brought under section 42 of the Maori Affairs Act 1953 against any decision of the Maori Land Court on a question referred to it under subsection (2) of this section; and section 42 of the Maori Affairs Act 1953 shall apply in relation to any such appeal as if that decision were a final order of the Maori Land Court.

The Maori Appellate Court shall inform the Waitangi Tribunal of the decision of the Maori Appellate Court on—

The Maori Land Court shall inform the Waitangi Tribunal of—

Any member of the Tribunal whose term of office has expired or who has resigned from office shall, whether or not that member’s successor has come into office, continue in office for the purpose of completing any proceedings heard by the Tribunal before the expiry of the member’s term of office or the member’s resignation.

Any member of the Tribunal appointed under section 4(2)(b) of this Act may at any time resign his or her office by delivering a notice in writing to that effect to the Minister.

A member of the Tribunal appointed under section 4(2)(b) of this Act shall be deemed to have vacated his or her office if he or she dies or is, under the Insolvency Act 1967, adjudged bankrupt.

Any member of the Tribunal appointed under section 4(2)(b) of this Act may at any time be removed from office by the Governor-General for inefficiency, disability, neglect of duty, or misconduct, proved to the satisfaction of the Governor-General.

The powers and functions of the Tribunal shall not be affected by any vacancy in its membership.

There shall be paid to the members of the Tribunal such remuneration by way of fees, salary, wages, or allowances as may from time to time be fixed, whether generally or in respect of any particular member or members of the Tribunal, by the Higher Salaries Commission.

Any decision under subclause (1) of this clause shall take effect on such date (whether the date thereof or any earlier or later date) as may be specified therein. If no such date is specified, the decision shall take effect on the date thereof.

The Tribunal is hereby declared to be a statutory Board within the meaning of the Fees and Travelling Allowances Act 1951.

There shall be paid to the members of the Tribunal travelling allowances and travelling expenses, in accordance with the Fees and Travelling Allowances Act 1951, and the provisions of that Act shall apply accordingly.”