A Danish tourist facing firearms charges appeared briefly in court today as the family of the British student he allegedly shot in the head spoke of their son's long road to recovery.

The 48-year-old tourist charged with careless use of a firearm causing injury appeared in Tokoroa District Court and was remanded for a pre-depositions hearing.

Matthew Purchase, 21, was critically injured from a shot to the head with a .22 calibre rifle while sitting in the back of a ute during a hunting trip with six others on a farm at Waotu, 10km southwest of Putaruru.

Parents Ian and Helen Purchase who rushed to his beside from their British home said they were unable to comment on the case while it was before the court but said they had faith in the New Zealand judicial system.

The Danish tourist had not had any contact with their son since the shooting on December 8, said Mr Purchase.

The agricultural exchange student is expected to fly home to Dorset in the next fortnight to continue his rehabilitation.

Matthew Purchase underwent brain surgery at Waikato Hospital five days after the shooting.

On Christmas Day his improvement was such that he was transferred to the hospital's neurosurgery ward.

Matthew Purchase spoke his first words more than a fortnight ago, acknowledging his mother's presence.

Two weeks ago he was discharged from Waikato Hospital to community care and continues to regain some movement as a result of his rehabilitation.

His parents have obtained a place for him at a rehabilitation unit near their Wimborne home in Dorset.

"Although he has made improvement his rehabilitation is very much a long-term issue for both him and us, his family. We are looking forward to returning home so we can all be together again and his friends can also be involved in his recovery."

Mr Purchase said his son's recovery was a miracle. He paid tribute to the medical staff at Waikato Hospital, particularly Dr Venkataraman Balakrishnan, and other doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and staff in both the neurosurgical ward and elsewhere in the hospital.

"It's fair to say when we arrived in New Zealand 48 hours after the shooting, we were told to expect the worst so to have our son back talking to us, moving his arms and legs and regaining sight in his eye is beyond anything we could have imagined back then," said Mr Purchase.

His rehabilitation in the community was also going well, he said.

Mr Purchase had been milking cows and doing contracting work on a South Waikato dairy farm on an agricultural exchange with Agri Venture NZ.

He was expected to stay in the South Waikato area working until April and then planned to do some more travelling before returning to the UK later this year.