Road signs in Maori?

Rotorua is being asked to trial bilingual road signs.

School principal Hawea Vercoe wants bilingual road signage introduced nationally and is calling on the Rotorua District Council to support a trial in the district. However, early reaction to his plan indicates he may have trouble finding enough support.

Yesterday he took his proposal to the council's Te Arawa Standing Committee, of which he is a member. The matter was deferred for further discussion, but some councillors are already making their views known.

Councillor Cliff Lee has dubbed it a "stupid idea". Others aren't necessarily opposed but are concerned it could lead to information overload and confusion for motorists.

As principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti, Mr Vercoe has been locked in a standoff with traffic safety officials over the use of the word "kura", the Maori word for school, on his school's buses. Land Transport New Zealand wants "school" and "kura" displayed. However, Mr Vercoe has stood his ground, saying Maori is a legally recognised language in New Zealand.

He has now drafted a submission to Transport Minister Annette King, calling for bilingual road signage

However, the signs would only be of advantage to Maori speaking people and could be a problem for some motorists, especially tourists, according to 50 Fifty Traffic Management director Ron Whiting.

"It could possibly lead to confusion for some people. Too much information on a sign could distract the attention of motorist," he said.

Mr Vercoe said bilingual signs should be required in accordance with the Treaty of Waitangi, giving Maori and English the same status.

"It will create continued awareness of the fact te reo Maori is an official language of this country and is recognised as such.

"As our nation continues to evolve into a more multicultural society, the more our indigenous language and culture runs the risk of extinction," Mr Vercoe said.

The tourism potential of having such signs was also huge, he said.

"We have a tourist identity here and I believe people will come here just to have photos of themselves taken next to these signs."

Mr Vercoe tabled his proposal for a pilot scheme, which he envisages being conducted in partnership with Land Transport New Zealand and other interested parties, to the Te Arawa Standing committee yesterday.

It will be voted on at the next meeting, on August 21 and if passed will then go to the council's works committee for its consideration.

Mr Lee dubbed Mr Vercoe's proposal as "ridiculous" and a "stupid idea".

"There is little to be gained from changing signs into Maori.

"You can get all warm and fuzzy about it but it's just a waste of time.

"It is non-productive," he said.

Councillor Charles Sturt said he wouldn't have a problem with it but doubted the required funds would be available.

"We have all grown up with Maori place names. Do we know what Ngongotaha means?

"There is a process to go through but when you want $1 million you don't ask for $10,000," he said.

The council's highway and road safety manager Kevin Thompson said there would be a lot of issues to be ironed out before council could even consider such a move.

"Some of the issues would be space, given the size of signs and then you would have the actual spelling.

"Some words are spelt different," he said.

The next problem would be where to place the signs.

"When people are moving at speed like in a car, you can only take in so much.

"Your brain only allows you to take in so much. In some circumstances we wouldn't be able to change signage because we have a strict criteria for legal signs like stop and give way signs. That would be an area of debate," he said.