Public submissions have closed on a proposal to change Wanganui's name to Whanganui, with the New Zealand Geographic Board receiving its second-highest ever number of submissions on a proposed name change.
The three-month consultation period ended on Monday with 880 submissions received.
Board secretary Wendy Shaw said while most proposals do not attract significant numbers of submissions, if a proposal is for an iconic or historic name, or for a location with a significant population, then public interest is usually greater.
The highest number of submissions received by the board was in the 1980s, when about 1000 submissions were received for a proposal to change Mt Egmont to Mt Taranaki.
In that case, the board recommended the name be changed to Mt Taranaki, but the Minister of Land Information decided both names could be used.
About three-quarters of all submissions were received through the board's online submission form.
Ms Shaw said this was the first time the board had offered an online submission form.
"[It] has been very successful and Land Information New Zealand is currently developing a similar form for all proposals in future."
In February of this year Whanganui iwi Tupoho made an application to the board, which oversees place names in New Zealand, requesting that the city's name be changed to Whanganui.
The board's decision will be made public on September 17, and a summary of the submissions will also be available on this date.
Big response to call for Wanganui name submissions
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