Maori chief becomes big fish in street name game

LAWRENCE GULLERY
A Maori dictionary would have been handy for those planning Hastings as one of its streets which was to bear the name of a prominent Maori chief has instead represented ``a big fish'.
Now there are plans afoot to rename Frimley's Hapuka St, to Hapuku St, to finally correct a one-letter spelling mistake perhaps made by civil authorities more than 80 years ago.
Initial research by Hastings District Council has backed claims the street should have been named after Te Hapuku, a Maori chief who signed the Treaty of Waitangi when it was brought to Hawke's Bay.
``Hapuka', a tasty and popular groper fish, did not fit in with its neighbouring street names.
Councillor Margaret Twigg, at the council's Maori Joint Committee meeting last week, said relatives of Te Hapuku had been lobbying the council for years to have the street name corrected.
``My understanding is that the next street over is Karaitiana, who was also a prominent chief and that Hapuku was also a chief and they were to go together.
``What we have ended up with is a big fish,' she said.
Council environmental manager Ian Macdonald told the committee it wasn't easy to change a street name as postal and emergency services had to be notified.
``We have to go through a whole process under the Local Government Act,' he said.
``My staff went back (through street records) and it's difficult because the 1930s earthquake destroyed some books.'
Mr Macdonald said the research suggested the street should have been named ``Hapuku' given the names of the other streets around it.
A letter had been sent to everyone on the street asking for their views on the possible street name change and council could make the final decision.
``If everyone is happy it could be done in the next few months,' Mr Macdonald said.
Cliff and Dale Brannigan live on the street and said they didn't have a problem with the name change.
``The only problem could be the postal people, if they get letters to the old address,' Mr Brannigan said.
Fellow resident, Celia Crombie, said she didn't mind the street name change but wanted the council to look at potential spelling mistakes in other road names.
``Another great example is in Havelock North - you've got Breadalbane Rd, which should be spelt Braedalbane,' she said.
Ms Crombie also suggested Hastings' Kaiapo Rd would be ``Kaiapoi' Rd.