Public consultation begins over spelling of Wanganui

The public are being invited to tell the New Zealand Geographic Board what they think about changing the spelling of Wanganui to Whanganui.

Public consultation on several proposals to assign new names or alter existing place names, including Wanganui, opened today, Land Information senior communications advisor Kelly Ley-Dahm said.

Submissions could be made to Land Information by email, fax, post or by an online form until 5pm on August 17.

Wanganui District Council last month voted to hold a public referendum on the spelling of the city's name, after the board found the name should be spelt with an "h".

The district council questioned whether the board had exceeded its jurisdiction and said it was considering legal action.

The controversy began when Te Runanga O Tupoho, a local iwi committee, petitioned the board to add the "h".

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws has said the move was a needlessly provocative gesture and contrary to the wishes of the vast majority of Wanganui's residents.

- NZPA