Board rejects naming alps after Sir Ed

The National Geographic Board has rejected a plan to rename the Southern Alps after Sir Edmund Hillary.

A proposal to call the Southern Alps the Hillary Alps was declined by the board last month, The Sunday Star Times reported today.

But the name of Sir Ed, the first climber to conquer the world's highest peak, Mt Everest, may still feature in the Southern Alps.

The board has delayed decisions on naming individual mountains Mt Ed Hillary, Hillary Peak and Hillary Hill.

"Out of respect the board has agreed to defer consideration of appropriate proposals for at least two years after the anniversary of Sir Edmund's death," board secretary Wendy Shaw said.

Sir Edmund died in January last year.

- NZPA