New Zealand Geographic Board invites submissions on renaming of Maxwell

Submissions on a name change for Maxwell will be considered by the New Zealand Geographic Board. Photo / Bevan Conley

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa is inviting submissions on the proposal to change the name of Maxwell to Pākaraka.

Whanganui District Council conducted a consultation between November 23 and December 21 last year after agreeing to work in partnership with Ngāti Maika of Ngā Rauru Kiitahi to make the application to the board.

The council's policy team leader Jasmine Hessell, who presented the results of the consultation at a council meeting in February, said of the 255 submissions received, 189 supported the name change and 58 opposed it.

"Letters were sent directly to property owners in the Maxwell locality, and additional advertising and media promotion was undertaken to enable others with an interest in the area to submit," Hessell said.

Of the remaining submissions, four were neutral and preferred to leave the decision to the Geographic Board, one submitted an alternative suggestion for the name of the township, and two others sought further consultation to identify a name acceptable to both Pākehā and Māori.

Ngāti Maika informed the board that the name commemorating Sergeant George Maxwell was offensive, based on his military role in the Handley Woolshed Affair in 1868 during
Tītokowaru's War.

Their grievance is recognised by the Crown in Ngā Rauru Kītahi's Deed of Settlement 2003.

The Geographic Board will consider the effects of altering a populated place name in long-term use and the views of its residents against the offensiveness of the name to Ngāti Maika and Ngā Rauru Kītahi, noting the council's support for the proposal.

"The board invites submissions from anyone who wants to have a say about these name proposals – particularly from those people in the local communities," board secretary Wendy Shaw said.

The board will accept submissions for or against the proposed name until August 30.

Submissions can be made online at Land Information New Zealand.