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The protests - known as hikoi - were held in cities including the capital Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga and Christchurch.

Back in Dunedin, eating cheese rolls is a fixture of the New Zealand campaign trail, and come morning tea the Labour hikoi crowd into Hungry Hobbos on George street; ordering a dozen of the southern snacks.

On Thursday, Black was invited to attend a hikoi for Tāne in Waipoua forest, held by the local tribe, Te Roroa, who prayed for the tree’s safety and wellbeing as the disease inches ever close.

They were in the area paying respects to the dead as part of a traditional Maori "hikoi" at the mountain.

"As we headed back, we came across a very full car-park and the guys who were there as part of a hikoi."