A precautionary action to ensure the safety of Police, power workers and the public is how Police describe the seizing of several firearms at the centre of land access dispute yesterday.

Hamilton City Area Commander, Inspector Rob Lindsay, said officers attended the Matangi address after a call from assistance from power workers barred from entering a farm property to carry out repairs.

"The repairs were necessary after the power cables had shorted and a fire had started, fire crews had been to the address to extinguish the blaze about an hour earlier.

"Reports 10 armed Police attended are incorrect. Five officers, including myself attended and two of those staff were armed," said Mr Lindsay.

As a proactive step 11 firearms and the landowner's firearms licence were taken to ensure the safety of not only Police and power workers but that of the public and the landowner himself.

"Under section 61 of the Arms Act, where officers suspect an offence has or is about to be committed we are able to write out a warrant to recover the firearms which is what occurred last night.

"The firearms were taken under these circumstances because the landowner presented behaviour that gave us some concern. This was a precautionary step only and no arrests were made," said Mr Lindsay.