A man has been moved off the critical list after being attacked with a patu, a traditional Maori club, in Port Waikato, southwest of Auckland, last night.
The 34-year-old man was hit several times with the patu, leaving him with his chest sliced open, head and eye injuries .
Police initially feared he could die after he was flown to Auckland Middlemore Hospital and then transferred to Green Lane Hospital.
But his condition has stabilised after surgery earlier today.
Police said that that the man was attacked after confronting three other males over an incident in which a vehicle was damaged during the weekend.
Two men, aged 44 and 17, appeared in Pukekohe District Court and a third, aged 15, in the Youth Court this morning, on assault charges.
They were remanded on bail to reappear again on Friday with more serious charges expected to be laid.
Detective Senior Sergeant Jason Malcolm from the Counties Manukau police refused to confirm that a boy racer incident at the weekend sparked the assault.
"It was a serious attack and it was over pretty quick," he said.
He said the victim might not be well enough to be interviewed for several days.
He said that the weapon used the assault had been recovered.
