Laws 'angry', 'upset' about W(h)anganui decision - will appeal

File photo / Wanganui Chronicle

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws is in a right stew about the "h" word.

He said he was "angry, upset and disappointed" today after the Geographic Board ruled the city should be spelled Whanganui with an "h", ending more than a century and a half without the controversial letter.

Mr Laws called the decision "wrong and racist".

The board's move was sought by local Iwi which had championed the use of "h" as in Whanganui National Park and the Whanganui River.

The decision flies in the face of a referendum showing the majority of residents, 19,000 people, wanted the name to remain without the "h" - as it has been spelled for 172 years.

Mr Laws said the board was an "uncaring and unthinking organisation which is attempting in one foul swoop to expunge Wanganui's history, heritage, mana and culture".

"This is more than just about the letter h", he told a press conference this afternoon.

"This is about a grievance and a wrong being perpetrated on the great majority of the people of Wanganui. In attempting to correct what is perceived as a minor injustice to a minority it imposes a greater and anti-democratic injustice upon a majority."

He challenged the decision made by the Geographic Board, which he said was "stupid" and possibly "illegal".

But, he was not surprised by the board's decision.

"It is a particularly odd body, composed of particularly odd people, interpreting a particularly odd piece of legislation."

The Wanganui District Council would seek further legal advice and would "fight for the democratic rights of its citizens to be recognised".

The council would appeal directly to the Government over the decision.

He suggested that in the end the decision would be political and referred to a quote from Prime Minister John Key, who told him on Radio Live earlier this month that ultimately it should be one for local people to make.

Any name change has yet to be approved by Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson, who may confirm, modify or reject it.

Mr Williamson said today he expected to receive the board's recommendation formally in the next two to three weeks - with a summary of submissions supporting and opposing the name change.

He told reporters this afternoon there was no time limit for his decision and he was able to take his time to come to a conclusion.

"I'm not going to express a feeling (right now).

"It's important this is done impartially, looking at all the evidence before me."

There were strong views either way and he would listen to the various parties, Mr Williamson said.

"It's not going to be a win, whichever way you go, with everybody."

It was his job to make the decision because that was the way the law was written, he said.

"It's not something I've asked for, I promise you. There are things in life I'd love to do and this isn't one of them."

Mr Williamson said that if he decided on a modified option, it might be possible to go with both spellings while the new one came in.

"You could put a time frame on it and say, you know, there are things like the cost of changing all the road signs and on Government departments you could allow it to occur over time while they're replacing things or whatever."

Local daily newspaper of 153 years the Wanganui Chronicle editor Kim Gillespie said there were no plans to change its name despite the board's recommendation.

However, if the Government decided to change the city's name, the newspaper would consider incorporating the "h" into the masthead, Mr Gillespie said.

Any decision about changing the masthead would have to be approved by the board of APN group, which owns the newspaper, he said.

- NZPA