A Royal Commission into the Pike River Coal mine disaster on the West Coast will meet for a preliminary hearing in March.
Twenty-nine men died at the mine near Greymouth after an explosion on 19 November last year.
The hearing will take place at the Greymouth High Court on 11 March.
The chair of the commission, Justice Panckhurst, says the preliminary hearing will bring legal counsel and other people together and set out how the commission intends to pursue its inquiries.
Justice Panckhurst says evidence from witnesses will not be heard at this hearing.
The Royal Commission has called for expressions of interest by 18 February from people or organisations wanting to give evidence.
