Wellington, Nov 3 NZPA - A Palmerston North man allegedly murdered seven years ago was a respectful son who would not purposely miss his father's cancer surgery, a court was told today.

Stephen Thomas Hudson, 39, is on trial for the murder of 22-year-old Nicholas Pike near the Desert Rd in the central North Island in March 2002.

Mr Pike's body has never been found.

At the High Court in Wellington today Mr Pike's mother, Evelyn, said her son had previously fled town because of drug debts but he would never stay away long.

Mr Pike suffered from severe asthma, she said.

When he last left town she expected him home several days later because he had little asthma medication and an upcoming court appearance.

His father was also due to have surgery for cancer.

"I couldn't believe that he would not be there at such a time," Mrs Pike said.

Her son spent a lot of time at home and was generally friendly, respectful and polite, she said.

"He never stole or took anything from us."

But she gave him money "several times" to pay drug debts, she said.

At the start of the trial, crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk said the defendant and victim had met in Palmerston North, where Hudson supplied Mr Pike with cannabis to sell.

Their relationship had become tense in late 2001 when Hudson was on the run from police, wanted for selling and manufacturing cannabis oil.

Cindy Vrins, who later became Hudson's girlfriend, previously told the court that she had been in the car with the two men on the Desert Rd when Hudson ordered her to get out and wait on the side of the road.

He returned 10 to 15 minutes later without Mr Pike, she said.

Hudson told her he had a cannabis plantation in the Desert Rd and had left Mr Pike to tend to it.

He was never seen again.

Mrs Pike said today she and her husband had travelled to Tauranga looking for people who had known their son and had spoken to Ms Vrins.

"She said she couldn't help us at all."

Mrs Pike also visited Hudson in prison. During the visit, Hudson denied any involvement in Mr Pike's death and even offered support to his family, defence counsel Mike Antunovic said.

The trial was expected to last five to six weeks.