I've never really tried to travel with a rollaboard near the legal limit on NZ's turboprops before. I'm only travelling WLG-BHE-WLG so I don't really care if I'm forced to check it, provided I don't have to pay for it. And provided my luggage fits NZ's posted rules, then surely taking care of it is their problem not mine? Or am I being naive?
It's also highly likely on that route, now that it's on DH3s and given the off-peak times I'm flying, that there will be some empty rows anyway.