Parahaki spelling still under debate

Edna Smith has been able to gaze out at Mt Parahaki from the rest home she has lived in for the past three years.

The 86-year-old Parahaki Rest Home resident has tribal links to the area but baulks at plans to correct the spelling of the mountain from Parahaki to Parihaka.

If a spelling mistake can go unnoticed for 100 years, she reasons, then it should be accepted as the correct name.

"I think it's terrible. They should leave it as it is. It's been that way for such a long time," she said.

"I've always known it as Parahaki, same as the Hatea River."

Whangarei Mayor Pamela Peters announced the proposal to correct the name of the mountain passed a major milestone last week. The New Zealand Geographic Board is to recommend that Land Information Minister Pete Hodgson correct the spelling from Mt Parahaki to Mt Parihaka on the basis that this is the original Maori name.

However, businesses in the area that have taken their names from the mountain have a different view.

No matter what happens, Parahaki Engineering owner Rob Cheer will not be changing the name of his business.

"It's always been Parahaki. What gives them the right to change it? Are they going to pay to change our company's paper work and the company register? They should just leave it."

The mountain was the city's icon, he said.

Parahaki Court Rest Home nurse manager Maryanne Thompson did not personally support the proposed change but if it were changed then the name of the rest home would probably follow suit.

Mayor Peters said the final decision would be made by the minister.

The Whangarei District Council was first approached by Whangarei kaumatua Te Ihi Tito regarding the name of Mt Parahaki in 2003.

At the time the council passed the name change in principle.

Mayor Peters said she was glad that the matter was reaching resolution, although she was sure there would continue to be debate in the community for many years yet.

The intention to correct Hatea River's name to Hoteo River would be advertised for public submissions and undergo the same statutory process as did Mt Parahaki/Mt Parihaka.

The board has also accepted that Hoteo is the original name of Hatea River.

- NZPA