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Most New Zealanders against 'h' in Wanganui - poll

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Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:45a.m.

Michael Laws is an outspoken opponent of proposals to put an 'h' in Wanganui

Michael Laws is an outspoken opponent of proposals to put an 'h' in Wanganui

Most New Zealanders prefer the retention of the name Wanganui and no change to Whanganui, a poll released today says.

The UMR survey showed 62 percent preferred Wanganui, 23 percent Whanganui and 13 percent were undecided.

The last time the company polled on the same issue 59 percent wanted Wanganui and 30 percent wanted the `h' in the name.

Of Maori polled 50 percent wanted Whanganui and 37 preferred the `h' was left out, though UMR said the sample size of Maori voters was too small for "robust" analysis.

Just 16 percent of National voters wanted a change compared to 31 percent of Labour voters.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson has to make a final decision on the name after the Geographic Board recommended that the "h" be restored and the name spelt as "Whanganui".

The spelling is already used for Whanganui National Park and the Whanganui River.

The board proposed the spelling be changed to Whanganui after local iwi committee Te Runanga O Tupoho petitioned for the change, a move vehemently opposed by the city's mayor Michael Laws, who labelled the decision "racist".

The UMR poll of 750 people was conducted between September 24 and September 27. It had a margin of error of 3.6 percent.

NZPA
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Comments

04 Oct 2009 05:45p.m.

al2 wrote:

Sarah - To quote Mahatma Gandhi, “Democracy is an impossible thing until the power is shared by all, but let not democracy degenerate into mobocracy.”

That's the problem with polls and, for that matter, public initiated referendums and that's why they can never be binding on governments.

Good debate - thanks.

03 Oct 2009 11:14p.m.

Sarah wrote:

Well, it has to be an issue that Maori wasn't initially a written language if we are basing our SPELLING decisions on words which were around when Maori was solely spoken. And my issue is not based around this spelling change but the fact that our government is making decisions based around political correctness as opposed to what the public wants. For instance, the majority of Aucklanders wanted maori seats on the supercity but that was also overridden. (I don't personally agree with the idea because it does appear to be reverse racism, but if the public wants it, this is a democracry and they should get it). The anti-smacking referendum which was vetoed by John Key because he didn't agree with it is yet another example of New Zealand not keeping to its democratic policies. That's all I'm saying. I think they should. Even if I don't agree or you don't agree with what the New Zealand public wants, everyone should get a say.

03 Oct 2009 10:52a.m.

al2 wrote:

Our democracy has incorporated the concept of MMP for some 15 years now and this is designed to ensure that minorities are simply swept aside in the intersts of straight out majorities.

We have Whangarei, Whakatane, Whangaparoa, Whitianga, Whenuapai, Whangamata, Wharerata,Whenuakura, Whareroa Whangamomoa Whakapapa, Whenuakite, Whangapoua and even Tawhero which is Michael Laws old primary school. Now through a correction proposed by the NZ Geographic Board we may have Whanganui.

Our democratically elected Government will now decide.

Its a word that's been ingrained incidentally in Maoridom for close to a thousand years. That's not hard to used to surely. And it's not a case that Maori didn't once upon a time have a written language. It does now and that's the way it's supposed to be spelt.

The bottom line is I think that this whole business has been an insult to Maori and a vent at being anti-Maori rather than the simple matter of a spelling change. It's a shame because many NZ places (and rivers) had a Maori name long before the were given English names and it many cases the Maori name is more beautiful and appropriate to the Pacific region in which we live.

I personally think Whanganui has a nice ring and a degree of consistency about it. I uised to live there once and often though that the spelling was a little unusual. If it is now reinstated with an "h" then I think we could move on easily enough. I would be nice to have the names of some other places reviewed in due course - like Lower Hutt for a start. At least complement them with their established Maori name as was done with Mt Egmont / Taranaki.

Just a thought. The roots of this country after all go back more than a 160 years.

02 Oct 2009 09:25p.m.

Sarah wrote:

Al2, it's more than a maori word now, it's a word that's been engrained in NZ society for many, many years and has been spelt a certain way for many years. Being a part of NZ and NZ culture, NZers should have a say in how it's spelt. I know that might isn't always right. Heck, I'm not delusional. But our political system is based on the idea that the majority has a say in how the country is run. If we're going with 'might isn't always right' we might as well give up this democracy facade.

02 Oct 2009 04:39p.m.

al2 wrote:

Sarah - It's a Maori word - perhaps they should have some say in how it's spelt?

Might isn't necessarily right - surely that's a message history teaches us if nothing else.

02 Oct 2009 04:33p.m.

al2 wrote:

Ben - Ah, you see then. Correct spelling is important.

02 Oct 2009 12:50p.m.

Sarah wrote:

"Maybe the people of NZ have spoken. So have the iwi. They are what counts." Right there, that's racism, there's no other way to look at it. The people of NZ include the iwi, did you know? This is a democracy, where MAJORITY and not MAORI should rule. And Michael Laws isn't against the letter 'h', al2. He appears to be against the racist (and yes, they are racist) attitudes of New Zealand. The maori might have been there before the white man. Big whoop, we're all here now and this is a democracy, so lets treat it as such.

02 Oct 2009 12:23p.m.

mike wrote:

waiwetu is original name& spelling of waiwetu river which became a stream after 1855 earthquake

02 Oct 2009 11:52a.m.

tallica wrote:

Maori never had there own written language, and now they are telling the Europeans how to spell "their" language in English LOL. Anyway the "h" isn't some symbolic maori letter on how to pronounce a word. You don't say what, when, and why like fhat fhen fhy do we. Do why pronounce Wanganui like Fhanganui.

02 Oct 2009 02:51a.m.

etanjt wrote:

Maybe the people of NZ have spoken. So have the iwi. They are what counts. Again, the ignorant white man did not recognise the 'F' sound as a 'Wh'. So in their ignorance they done away with the 'h'. Was I there back then-No. Was Mr Laws there-No. Was the iwi there-yes. Passed down through their whakapapa. Laws, you are an embarrasment to your fellow politicians that once listened to you in parliament.