Wellington, March 19 NZPA - A Wellington man has been remanded in custody after an appearance in court for the historic murder of a Lower Hutt man.

The 26-year-old man appeared in Lower Hutt District Court today charged with killing Harold Alamoti Taipa Skudder.

Mr Skudder's body has not been found, after the 38-year-old was reported missing by his mother in January 2008, a year after his disappearance.

The defendant was arrested yesterday after new information from the public.

He also faced a charge of intentional damage after allegedly breaking a window in January this year.

He was granted interim name suppression to inform his family of the charges he faced.

He was remanded in custody until March 25.

Police were examining a Lower Hutt property and the investigation was ongoing, Wellington police district field crime manager Detective Inspector Shane Cotter said yesterday.

"Though we have made an arrest, I am sure there are people out there in the community that know about Harry's disappearance. I urge those people to come forward," Mr Cotter said.

Anyone with information on Mr Skudder's disappearance was asked to contact Lower Hutt police or the anonymous Crimestoppers line.