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The fight to get an 'h' into Wanganui is not won yet.
While the New Zealand Geographic Board recommended on Monday the name of the district and city be changed to "Whanganui", mayor Michael Laws will "fight the decision all the way".
He is backed by deputy mayor, Ray Stevens.
"This is a sad day for Wanganui and a sad day for democracy," Stevens says.
But the board's decision has been welcomed by Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia.
"As the namer of names, the board is in a very powerful position and I commend its decision because it reflects a genuine desire to correct the mistakes of the past and do the right thing," Turia says.
The board is calling for public submissions on whether to add an "h", after it decided the city's name has been spelt incorrectly for 170 years.
It said on Monday there is a "valid case" to change the spelling
to Whanganui and the public should be given an opportunity to
express their views.
Laws says Wanganui District Council will hold an urgent meeting
over the board's recommendation.
"I will fight this decision all the way," he says.
"It is an attack upon the integrity of my city, my district and my constituents. It is an affront to democracy and every concept of equity."
Laws says he wants to convene the council so it might consider a district-wide referendum on the matter.
"We have three months to let the NZ Geographic Board know what
we think: Well, let's find out what Wanganui thinks," he
says.
Stevens says the council will meet next week.
"In Referendum '06, local people voted overwhelmingly against
the name change, and this decision ignores our local democratic
process," he says.
Laws suggests the question of the "h" can be added to Referendum
'09.
NZ Geographic Board chairman Don Grant says the board has decided to proceed to the public notification stage of the process.
The name Wanganui was never formally approved by the board and is therefore not an official New Zealand place name, he says.
The board sought advice on the correct spelling from the Maori Language Commission Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori.
"The board carefully considered the Wanganui District Council's views opposing the spelling change, and acknowledged that the name Wanganui had a long history of local usage," Grant says.
"However early settlers clearly intended the name of the city to be derived from the Maori name of the river, and consistent modern usage of the language showed the spelling should be Whanganui, not Wanganui," he says.
The spelling of the city's name has long been subject to controversy and iwi group Te Runanga o Tupoho recently applied to change the name to Whanganui.
Turia says Whanganui iwi including Te Runanga o Tupoho can delight knowing their struggle has not been in vain.
"I have to agree with Te Kenehi Mair (of the Whanganui iwi) when he said in his submission that `the name of our rohe, our awa and our iwi is how we are identified ...'," she says.
Grant says it is the first time the board has received a proposal to change the name of a city.
"This is an issue of great importance to many, so the board felt it important to allow the New Zealand public a chance to comment."
A formal period of consultation will begin in six weeks and the public will have three months to make submissions.
What do you think about the letter "h" being added to
Wanganui? Have your say on the messageboard below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentmenacerec said on 2010-03-27 @ 04:33 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why havn't these "two referenda" been referenced at all? If the execution of polls is flawed they are meaningless. I expect more from the mayor of a city than to waste time this issue.
Psygone said on 2010-03-26 @ 23:50 NZDT: Report abusive post
I used to find this issue so tedious but now Im different. I am a pakeha who has studied the moari culture and tried to embrace it and the whanganui river people. However the attitude of a few Maori on this issue discusts me and Im sorry for myself that it is turning me into a racist and Im sure the same is happening to many Pakeha. To the select few Maori in WANGANUI who wanted this well done in playing the victim and undoing years of co existence.
Pacifier said on 2010-03-26 @ 21:27 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think we should bulldoze wanganui to the ground and make it into a lake or celebrate the future of Whanganui. Its simply, if you don't like Whanganui then move somewhere else. Whanganui doesn't belong to you just because you live in the town, it belongs to Maori who say name it properly
PaulsPOV said on 2010-03-26 @ 20:31 NZDT: Report abusive post
Realy is political correctness gone mad. Everyone's view is interesting but ultimately unimportant. Those who should decide are those who live there. If they want Wanganui, then that's exactly what they should get. Recent history is still history & the spelling mistake has been around for a long time. Personally I grew up with Wanganui - But I'm not a local & are happy to leave it up to them. (This should not be decided by a few political activists trying to make a point)
alli kris said on 2010-03-26 @ 20:14 NZDT: Report abusive post
It is interesting how this has played out. The Maori as i recall did not have a written language; the name Wanganui was given as the first written interpretation. Wanganui is the original and thus correct interpretation of its meaning. To change would create a mistake. this is one reason. The people who have lived for generations in Wanganui have an attachment to that place and equal rights to the local iwi. to work against the majority of the residents in favor of a few is undemocratic.