Councillors favour change to Remutaka

Masterton District councillors agreed to a likely name change for the Rimutaka Hill when the council policy and finance committee met on Wednesday.

Support for a name change for the Rimutaka Hill Road to become Remutaka Pass has come from the Masterton District Council.

Councillors decided to agree to the likely change when the council's policy and finance committee met on Wednesday.

The South Wairarapa District Council has already voted to agree to the change to Remutaka but has stopped short of making a decision on the word "pass".

The Upper Hutt City Council, considered to be the other council most involved with any proposal for change, has yet to discuss the issue, which arose after former Masterton mayor Frank Cody, heading a group known as Remutaka Pass Co-ordinating Group, submitted the change should be made.

Ultimately a name change would depend on the New Zealand Geographical Board agreeing and it being signed off by the Crown.

Supporting the change, councillor Simon O'Donoghue said tourists who drove the Rimutaka area were often spooked thinking if it was a "hill", then traversing the next peak on the map - Mt Bruce - was going to be far more formidable.

"They turn round and go back. There's no way they are going to take on a mountain," he said.

Councillor Gary Caffell mused those councillors who shied away from the Wellington super-city concept might feel happier supporting a name change to Remutaka Divide.

Should Remutaka supersede Rimutaka and, given its Maori meaning of "sitting down to rest", councillor Brent Goodwin asked if a Remutaka Prison would become known as the "sitting down to rest prison".