Mount Pickering and Mount Tinsley Place Name Proposal Report
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27 March 2009 Place Name Proposal Report
- Tinsley’s Hill or Tinsley Peak or Mount Tinsley or Mount Hill-Tinsley - new name
- Mount Pickering - new name
- Te Anau, Fiordland National Park.
General Background
The submitter is seeking to assign new names to unnamed geographical features situated between Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri in Fiordland National Park. Three of the proposed new names, which seek to honour New Zealanders who were world leaders in astronomy, are located in the Kepler Mountains, and the fourth proposed name, a ‘Lord of the Rings’ name, is located on the Upper Waiau River, north-east of Lake Manapouri. The submitter considers that as the Kepler Mountains are the only mountain range in New Zealand to be named after a legendary astronomer, it is appropriate to honour other astronomers in the same area. Algernon Charles Gifford (1862-1948) was an astronomer, explorer and teacher, responsible for establishing the Gifford Observatory in Wellington; Beatrice Tinsley (1941-1981) was one of the most significant theoreticians in modern astronomy, and William Hayward Pickering (1910-2004) pioneered the exploration of space.
The submitter has provided evidence of biographical reference sources. The Board’s naming guideline discourages use of the possessive form and apostrophe; therefore it is recommended that the possessive form be dropped from Gifford’s Lake to become ‘Gifford Lake’ or alternately ‘Lake Gifford’, and Tinsley’s Hill to ‘Tinsley Hill’ should those proposals be assigned. In subsequent correspondence the submitter has substituted ‘Tinsley Peak’ for Tinsley’s Hill.
The Board’s criterion for apostrophes is:
| Principle | The possessive form should be avoided whenever it can be done without destroying the euphony of the name or changing its descriptive application. Where the possessive form is retained, the apostrophe should be dropped. |
| Policy | No names considered by the Board will be approved in the possessive form, unless the Board is persuaded that, in its opinion, it is necessary. |
| Guideline/Practice | Only two names in New Zealand use a possessive apostrophe, Hawke’s Bay and Arthur’s Pass (see Section 17, ‘Discussion on the use of the Possessive Apostrophe’). |
There are no other geographical features, street or road names in New Zealand with the name of‘Tinsley(s)’, and while there are street and road names ‘Pickering’, there are no other geographical features of that name. Other ‘Gifford’ names are far enough away geographically so as not to cause confusion, and are not‘lakes’. A number of streets and roads located around New Zealand are named 'Gifford(s)’, but none are in the vicinity of this proposal. Research of the duplicated ‘Gifford’ names does not reveal if any of these duplicated names honour Algernon Charles Gifford.
Duplication:
| Gifford Gap | South east of Milford Sound |
| Mount Gifford | South east of Milford Sound |
| Gifford Stream | South east of Hokitika. |
Early topographic maps show the locations for the ‘astronomy’ names as:
| NZMS 1, S140 | Edition 1, dated 1973 | Depicted but not named |
| NZMS 1, S140 | Edition 2, dated 1980 | Depicted but not named |
| NZMS 13, SND2/3/4/11/12 | Edition 3, 1958 | Not shown |
| NZMS 177, S140 | Edition 1, dated 1962 | Not shown |
Some early survey plans show the following for the ‘astronomy’ names:
| SO 5445 | Dated 1880 | Not shown |
| SO 3512 | Dated 1902 | Depicted but not named |
| SO 4469 | Dated 1902 & 1916 | Depicted but not named |
| SO 7983 | Dated 1925 | Depicted but not named |
Early historical maps/plans show for the ‘astronomy’ names:
| O(D)26 | Dated ? | Not shown |
| O(D)28 | Dated 1865 | Not shown |
| O(D)30 | Dated ? | Not shown |
| GAZ1 | Dated 1877 | Depicted but not named |
The proposed new name of ‘Anduin Reach’ is the name of a mythical river in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy movie ‘The Two Towers’. Parts of Waiau River were filmed for scenes of the River Anduin during the making of the movie, and the submitter proposes that a 2km straight stretch of the Upper Waiau River be named Anduin Reach. The submitter suggests that the name would be an asset to local tourism ventures. The Board has previously been cautious in allocating ‘Lord of the Rings’ place names.
The submitter has provided documentary evidence of support for the new name of ‘Anduin Reach’ by way of email comments and feedback made on the website www.theonering.net. There are no other features named Anduin in New Zealand.
Early topographic maps show the ‘Anduin’ location as:
| NZMS 1, S149 | Edition 1, dated 1974 | Depicted but not named |
| NZMS 1, S149 | Edition 2, dated 1983 | Depicted but not named |
| NZMS 13, SND 018/019 | Edition 3, dated 1952 | Depicted but not named |
| NZMS 177, S149 | Edition 2, dated 1969 | Depicted but not named |
Some early survey plans show the ‘Anduin’ location as:
| SO 2882 | Dated 1894 | Depicted but not named |
| SO 7253 | Dated 1963 | Depicted but not named |
Early historical maps/plans show the ‘Anduin’ location as:
| O(D)29A | Dated 1865 | Depicted but not named |
| O(R)20A | Dated 1865 | Depicted but not named |
| GAZ1 | Dated 1877 | Depicted but not named |
The proposed place names are features of Fiordland National Park, which is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation. The views of DoC should possibly be sought. The submitter states that the proposed place names have been forwarded to the local rūnanga for consultation; however, there is no evidence of consultation. No comments have been received as to whether original Māori place names exist for these features. The views of Ngāi Tahu may be brought to the Board’s meeting on 27 March 2009.
16 September 2009 Place Name Proposal Report
- Tinsley’s Hill or Tinsley Peak or Mount Hill-Tinsley - new name
- Mount Pickering - new name
- Te Anau, Fiordland National Park
General Background
At the Board’s previous meeting of 27 March 2009, these two proposals were deferred for the following reasons:
- confirm whether the surname used for Beatrice should be ‘Hill’ or ‘Tinsley’ or ‘Hill-Tinsley’;
- consult with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to determine whether the features have original Māori names and if not, whether other Māori names from this area might be appropriate for consideration of preserving local iwi history;
- consult with the Department of Conservation to seek their support for the proposals, given that the features fall within the Fiordland National Park – a designated Wilderness area – within which the Board may exercise some restraint in over-naming, so as to preserve the wilderness characteristics of the area; and
- confirm with the Department of Conservation that the features do not have any other locally used names.
Two other proposals received from this submitter were declined at the Board’s last meeting (Gifford’s Lake and Anduin Reach).
Both Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the Department of Conservation were written to on 29 June 2009, seeking their views. Ngāi Tahu responded on 11 August 2009 that no Māori names exist for these features and they have no concerns about either of these proposals. No response has been received by DOC. If any response is provided by DOC, then it will be tabled at the Board’s meeting on 16 September 2009.
Comment
The Board had previously commented that both Beatrice Tinsley (1941-1981) and William Pickering (1910-2004) were probably at a higher level of scientific achievement than Charles Gifford, who already has Mount Gifford and Gifford Gap named after him, both being located within the Fiordland National Park, but not in the Kepler Mountains.
The Board also noted that the submitter seeks to honour the work of these significant astronomers during 2009 – the International Year of Astronomy.
Support for commemorating these two distinguished scientists is provided by Steve Willner (Harvard University), and the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (refer to copies of correspondence attached).
Matters for the Board to consider:
- There are numerous unnamed peaks in the Kepler Mountains, so why name these two particular features? Are they particularly prominent (the submitter says that they are, but no photos are provided)?
- Will they provide a necessary reference for recreation, emergency services, and DoC’s park management, if named?
- Do they need to be locatable with an assigned place name?
- What of the need to preserve the wilderness characteristics in the Fiordland National Park?
- Is there a need to create a theme of commemorating astronomers within the Kepler Mountains?
- What is to stop proposers continuing with this theme in the Kepler Mountains?
Is the fact that these two individuals carried out their studies and major contributions to astronomy in the United States, and not New Zealand, a concern when assigning personal names?
- After Beatrice Tinsley’s divorce, her scientific papers and reports carried her maiden name of Hill, but using the name ‘Hill’ with a generic geographic term such as ‘Hill’ or ‘Mount’ or ‘Peak’ could lead to confusion. An exception may need to be considered to use her first name and surname together; e.g. Mount Beatrice Hill?
- If Tinsley is used, then the possessive form should be dropped.
Map
A printable version of this map is available in the Mount Pickering and Mount Tinsley Place Name Proposal Report (PDF 1.75MB).
