Consultation on Tauranga beach name ending

The New Zealand Geographic Board has advised that only a month remains for members of the public to make submissions on key place name proposals in the Tauranga.

In June, the board opened public consultation on an amended version of its proposal to assign the name 'Stokes Beach' to an unnamed section of beach within Tauranga Harbour.

The three month consultation on the original proposal closed on February 14, 2014, attracting 35 submissions - 32 objecting, with most preferring the original but unofficial Maori name 'Otumoetai Beach'.

Under the proposals, 'Stokes Beach' would apply to the area directly in front of Beach Road (the eastern section) and 'Otumoetai Beach' would be given to the area of beach in front of Otumoetai Pa and extending west to Tilby Point.

A third easternmost section of the beach will remain unnamed - but a name could be proposed by the community in the future - and three other associated Otumoetai names are proposed for the Pa, the suburb and the sea channel.

This proposal is open for public submissions until Friday, September 5, 2014. To make a submission on this place name proposal:

•complete the online form or

•write directly to the email address nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz or

•post a letter to the Secretary of the New Zealand Geographic Board, c/o Land Information New Zealand, PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145.