U.S. District Judge David Ezra yesterday criticized the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for failing to disclose to the court that the agency has known where on state lands 83 artifacts on loan from the Bishop Museum are buried.

DHHL Director Micah Kane yesterday afternoon confirmed that agency employees know where in two Big Island caves the artifacts are buried. But he said he does not believe his agency did anything wrong and he stressed that it has always intended to cooperate with the court.

Members of Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O Hawai'i Nei, in its most recent filings, said the items are in the Forbes and Mummy caves, believed to be part of what are known as the Kawaihae Caves. Both are on DHHL property.

Ezra said it was "just absolutely outrageous" that agency officials did not make the disclosure to his court.

Kane said the agency's long-stated backing of Hui Malama's position that the items should not be removed from the caves had no bearing on its decision not to voluntarily disclose the location to the court.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.