By Hamish Stuart of NZPA

Wellington, Oct 7 NZPA - Three women with gang connections, tenants of Hutt Valley state houses, have appealed for the third time their looming eviction by Housing New Zealand.

In March, the women, tenants in Farmer Cres in Pomare were given 90-day eviction notices, after a neighbour left her state house, saying she had been terrorised by gang members associated with the women.

Armed police later raided houses in the street, arresting more than 10 people.

After losing a battle in the Tenancy Tribunal to hold onto their state houses, the women's appeal was thrown out by the Lower Hutt District Court.

Their legal aid-funded courtroom crusade continued in the High Court at Wellington today.

One of their lawyers, Robert Lithgow, QC, said the eviction violated the freedom of association protections in the Bill of Rights Act.

Also, the tenants did not have many other options of places to live, and did not have much money, he said.

The major beneficiary of the trial would be Housing New Zealand, he said.

"They are the ones trying to build a policy for dealing with the Mongrel Mob."

Housing New Zealand lawyer Steven Haszard said the case was down to statutory interpretation, and would be precedent-setting.

"There is no specific provision to cope with this complaint," he said.

The women's 90-day eviction period would expire at midnight tomorrow, though Justice John Wild discussed extending the period for the tenants to move their things out with lawyers from both sides.

Justice Wild reserved his decision.