Whanganui Place Name Report Consultation and Correspondence

• A letter to the Wanganui District Council on 12 February 2009;
• A letter to Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission) on 24 February 2009;
• A referendum conducted by the Wanganui District Council in 2006 indicated 82% of 17,037 residents who responded, preferred Wanganui without the ‘h’, and 18% of the residents voted for the ‘h’ (see Council website printouts). The total number of residents in Wanganui city would likely now exceed 50,000. The wider district has a population of around 17,000. The population of the Manawatu-Wanganui Region is 222,000 (from Statistics NZ).

The Council held an extra-ordinary meeting on 24 February 2009 and voted 5 in favour of the change and 8 against it. The Council have since corresponded directly with the Secretary in a letter dated 25 February 2009 advising: “That the Wanganui District Council, on behalf of the wider Wanganui community, advised the New Zealand Geographic Board that no change be made to the spelling of  ‘Wanganui’ – either city or district.”

The Board’s observer from TPK, Mr Pat Park, may have further comment to make at the meeting about the views of local tangata whenua Māori, as well as neighbouring iwi. There has been some correspondence with the Secretary since the proposal was received: 2 in opposition to any change; 9 in support, listed as follows. Copies of all correspondence are attached.

Supporting	Objecting
Te Kaahui o Rauru, 12 February 2009	Tom Pittams, 23 February 2009
Te Ahi Kā o Paerangi, 20 February 2009	Stephen Palmer, 24 February 2009
Wiremu Reedy, 24 February 2009
Huia Kirk, 24 February 2009
Dianne Bardsley, 25 February 2009
Rana Waitai, 25 February 2009 (Councillor)
Whanganui River Māori Trust Board, 4 March 2009
Nga Tai O Te Awa, 4 March 2009
Beryl Warnock, 3 March 2009 (comment only)