Council votes to hold referendum on 'h' issue - 6/04/2009Mayor Michael Laws today said the Wanganui District Council has voted to proceed with a public referendum on the spelling of Wanganui.
At an extraordinary meeting of the council today, councillors considered the decision of the New Zealand Geographic Board to include 'h' in Wanganui's name.
The council made six resolutions as follows:
Proposed by Mayor Laws, seconded by Cr Stevens:
1. THAT a referendum on the appropriate spelling of Wanganui be conducted – in association with 'Referendum '09' and the draft 10-Year Plan 2009-2019 consultation – for the purpose of giving every Wanganui resident their say upon the issue;
(9 for, 4 against)
2. THAT the referendum results be conveyed to the New Zealand Geographic Board and the Minister of Land Information as a direct submission from the people of Wanganui;
(11 for, 2 against)
3. THAT the Council conduct a neutral public information campaign, that provides the case for spelling Wanganui with an 'h' and the case for spelling Wanganui without an 'h';
(11 for, 2 against)
4. THAT the question be:
'Which spelling would you prefer for our city and district?'
Wanganui
OR
Whanganui
(8 for, 5 against)
Proposed by Cr Westwood, seconded by Cr Anderson:
5. THAT the Council seek a legal opinion and potential courses for legal action with regard to the New Zealand Geographic Board decision of 30 March 2009 – addressing issues of whether the New Zealand Geographic Board has already pre-judged this issue – as illustrated by their recommendations of 30 March 2009 – and whether the board has
a) exceeded its jurisdiction;
b) followed proper consultative procedure; and
c) indicated a distinct preference before public consultation;
d) made errors of history and fact in its March 2009 deliberations.
(10 for, 3 against)
Proposed by Cr Bullock, seconded by Cr McKinnon:
6. THAT eminent historian Diana Beaglehole – the author of the Wanganui entry in the Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand – be commissioned to provide an historical background to the naming of Wanganui and the clear understanding of various parties in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
(9 for, 4 against) | 
