An innocent mistake was made back in 1989 by the Maniototo Community Board to misspell its historic name, but Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said the Representation Review was not the place to change it.

The Central Otago District Council decided yesterday to keep the spelling the same for now, in line with the community board’s decision on Monday night, and taking into consideration views of submitters.

Councillors heard from Maori scholar Emeritus Professor Khyla Russell who said the Maniototo had no meaning for iwi at all, “it’s like having a name that no-one understands.”

Māniatoto refers to the tussocks that once grew plentiful across the plain, and Dr Russell said it would be nice to have it corrected.

“I know it’s not always easy . . . but it’s important we have consistency with our understanding of the word.”

Iwi was successful back in June 2022 when a representative spoke at council and it was agreed to change the spelling of Manuherekia, from Manuherikia.

But, Mayor Cadogan said this was different because it affected both the ward and community board names.

Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie also questioned whether this was the right forum to be changing the name, and asked what role the New Zealand Geographic Board had in this.

“Does the geographic board have the authority to determine how we should spell the name of a community board . . . as it has the authority to determine the name of a county council?”

Mayor Cadogan said the Local Government Commission determined the name “and if we don’t change the name they wouldn’t look at it unless there was an appeal.  

If we do change the name then it would automatically be reviewed by the Local Government Commissioner, he said.

Maniototo board member Stu Duncan said as an elected member this has been one of the toughest and galvanising decisions he’s ever had to make.

He said changing the name had wider implications within the community including all of the different groups from gardening to squash, that used the Maniototo name.

“There haven’t been many debates that tried to shut down the bank in Ranfurly,” he said.

Cr Gillespie agreed with Mayor Cadogan that the background of the name made perfect sense and said personally it should be changed, “without a doubt.”

But, this was not the place to do that, acknowledging the wider implications in the community, he said. 

“Either way this is going to be appealed.”

He said they also had to listen to the community board, and Cr Tamah Alley agreed the community needed to be part of the journey, and lead the change when they were ready.

In concluding, Mayor Tim said iwi’s position should be respected because it’s their language.

“A mistake has been made, way back in the day, when the Te Reo name that has been used for a place for generations, was transliterated.”

He said the council followed the mistake, “and I don’t think it was even aware of it.”

When mistakes are made to names, they needed to be corrected, he said. 

“Is our mistake more important than a people’s language?”

Acknowledging he had learnt a great deal through the process, this was just another step in the discussion that council needed to have.

The ongoing debate on whether to change the Maniototo community board and ward names was reflective of the fact that change is coming, “but not this way and not here.”