FOR RELEASE OIA24 195.pdf

1982
Act
Information
Official
the
under
Released

UNCLASSIFIED

-  Crown confidential: in 2007 Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust
proposed Pito One as cultural redress under its Treaty of Waitangi
Claims settlement process. It later withdrew the proposal, then in 2008
proposed a dual name Pito-one/Petone. The Board did not support a
dual name but did support an alteration of Petone to Pito-one.
However, in June 2008 the Office of Treaty Settlements advised the
name would not be included in the Deed of Settlement with no
explanation.
-  Twice in 2019, the Board declined approving Petone under fast-track
processes, due to orthographic advice the name was correctly Pitoone.
Petone Railway Station would need a consequential name change if Pito One
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for the suburb becomes official.
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Secretariat recommendation
Recommendation 1  Accept the proposal to officially alter the existing unofficial recorded suburb
name Petone to Pito One, including the proposed extent, based on:
•  the Board’s functions to determine the correct spelling of place names,
with evidence of the provenance of the name and its correct spelling
from the proposers as mana whenua,
•  the long-term use of the spelling as Petone not outweighing using the
Information
correct orthography for an original Māori name,
•  advice confirming the orthography for Pito One as two words, and not
Pito-one or Pitoone, directly from Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori,
•  the Board having recognised the incorrectness of the existing name
several times, notwithstanding it has previously considered ‘Pito-one’ or
‘Pitoone’ to be the correct spelling, and
Official
•  evidence of support from Hutt City Council and mana whenua,
•  the extent as supplied by Hutt City Council being appropriate, noting it
the
is also mostly identical to the existing unofficial extent from the NZ
Suburbs and Localities dataset, and that public notification will enable
the Board to consider any feedback on the extent,
Noting it isn’t intended that the detailed boundaries be included in any final
gazette notice. This would enable minor adjustments to continue to be made in
under
the NZ Suburbs and Localities dataset without having to go through the
statutory process again,
and
Notify as a proposal to alter for three months.

Released
Board hui 30 April/Āperira 2024
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Secretariat assessment and advice
The proposal
The joint proposers, Wellington Tenths Trust and Palmerston North Māori
Reserve Trust, seek to officially alter the existing unofficial recorded suburb
name Petone to Pito One to correct the spelling.
The proposers have provided:
-  their kōrero that the name refers to burial of pito [umbilical cord] in the one
[sand/earth] as an expression of their ahi kā [occupation] and mana
whenua, being the ‘symbolic tethering of a newborn to the land and their
tūrangawaewae’.
-  some historical context, eg that Pito One pā was where senior rangatira Te
1982
Puni met William Wakefield and the New Zealand Company settlers in
1839, and that the environs of the pā ‘stretched between the foreshore and
Jackson Street, and between Korokoro Stream in the west and Victoria Street
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in the east’.
-  further documentary evidence of the use of the name, eg:
-  references in early correspondence and on maps and surveys (varyingly
Pito-one, Pitoone, Pito One, Pito one, etc) and how this changed over
time to Petone, and
-  evidence of prior discussions about altering the name back,
-  a formal letter of support from Hutt City Council,
Information
-  letters of support from these iwi/hapū organisations:
-  Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust (Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o
Te Ika),
-  Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Māui and Waiwhetū
Marae Trust,  Official
-  Te Tatau o Te Pō Marae
-  a letter from the CE of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (TTWh) with advice
the
confirming Pito One is the correct orthography,
-  a marked-up extent for the proposed Pito One (suburb) supplied by Hutt
City Council.
The proposal was initially for Pito-one with a hyphen and lower case second [o].
under
At its 30 October 2023 hui, Poari Hapori o Pito-One | Petone Community Board
resolved to recommend to Hutt City Council that it support the proposal. At its
22 November 2023 hui, Hutt City Council considered the recommendation and
a report. It resolved to support the proposal for Pito-one.1 News media widely
covered these decisions (see media section at end of report and articles in
Supporting information).
However, after receiving council support kaumātua considered that the name
should be in the form Pito One as two words to ‘give clarification to the
Released meaning and return mana to the name.’ This necessitated going back to the
council and supporters, all of whom have provided new letters of support for
‘Pito One’.

1 Petone Community Board and Hutt City Council minutes are available here: https://www.huttcity.govt.nz/council/council-
meetings/meeting-agendas-and-minutes - last accessed 17 April 2023
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Due to the change from Pito-one to ‘Pito One’, and following widespread news
coverage, it is possible that there will be confusion should the Board accept the
proposal for Pito One. Prior news articles and Hutt City Council’s now outdated
media release2 are readily available to anyone seeking information on the
proposal.
The proposers note they plan to address further place name corrections such as
to Epuni [Te Puni] and Naenae [Te Ngaengae].

Names shown on
Spellings on early plans and maps vary in naming the pā, the beach and Maōri
plans and maps
land blocks. From the late 1870s maps and plans mostly use ‘Petone’ for the
township and railway station. Official maps published by Lands and Survey and
1982
its successor departments consistently use ‘Petone’ in the 20th and 21st
centuries. Some maps only name Petone for the borough (for a past type of
local government area) or treat the borough and populated place
Act
synonymously.
A full table of plans and maps is in the Secretariat research document in
Supporting information.

Geographic feature  Petone is the unofficial recorded name for a suburb of Lower Hutt, in Lower
type, generic term,
Hutt City3, Wellington Region. The New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou
location
Taunaha o Aotearoa Act) 2008 (‘NZGB Act 2008’) defines a suburb as ‘an
identifiable area within a local authority area, usually urban in character, with
Information
facilities such as those for education, transport, and shopping’. Therefore, suburb
remains the appropriate feature type.
Extent of the
The proposed extent closely follows three well-defined natural or man-made
feature
boundaries, being:  Official
-  the foreshore of Wellington Harbour / Port Nicholson to the south,
-  Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River, to the east,
-
the

part of Wairarapa Line (railway line) west from the river, then southwest
to 500m beyond the mouth of Korokoro Stream.
This extent is nearly identical to the existing unofficial extent in the NZ Suburbs
and Localities dataset (refer Addressing implications below). At the southwest it
extends slightly further along the shoreline, and at the foreshore it uses current
under
cadastral (property) boundaries rather than approximating Mean High Water
Springs. If the Board agrees to notify an extent for Pito One it could accept the
proposed extent as supplied by Hutt City Council or make any change it
considers appropriate.
As populated places change in size their boundaries may need to change, so
while the Board may consult on this extent, it isn’t intended that detailed
boundaries be included in a final gazette notice. This would enable minor
Released adjustments to continue being made in the future through the NZ Suburbs and
Localities dataset without having to go through the statutory process.

2 Petone to Pito-One: Changing the name of an area, Hutt City Council, 27 November 2023 – last accessed 10 April 2024.
3 Noting the Local authority is officially Hutt City Council rather than Lower Hutt City Council, by way of the Lower Hutt City (Name of
City Council) Act 1991.
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New Zealand
Petone is an unofficial recorded4 suburb name in the Gazetteer. Petone Railway
Gazetteer,
Station is an associated unofficial recorded name.
associated place
There are no duplications of ‘Petone’. However there is a Pitoone Stream at
names and
duplication
Kūaotunu West, Coromandel Peninsula, a Pitone Stream and Pitone (hill) near
Awakino, Waitomo District , and another Pitone Stream southwest of Ōakura,
New Plymouth District. Due to the large geographic separation there is no risk
of confusion with these names.

Board archives and  A Secretariat research document in Supporting information summarises prior
Secretariat research  Board considerations, notes early references to the name (spelled in several
ways), and considers some evidence of when the current ‘Petone’ became the
1982
established spelling.

Consultation with
The proposers as mana whenua sought and received letters of support from
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iwi
three related iwi/hapū organisations.
Based on Te Kāhui Māngai, the Secretariat also forwarded the proposal to Te
Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira (Ngāti Toa), Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, Rangitāne Tū
Mai Rā Trust and Rangitāne o Wairarapa, requesting any views.
Should the Board accept the proposal these additional groups will also be
advised in terms of the Board’s Kaupapa for Māori Place Names.
Consultation with
The proposers sought endorsement from Hutt City Council to alter Petone to
others
Pito-one, which they received on 22 November 2023. Following the change in
Information
the proposal from Pito-one to Pito One, the proposers provided an updated
letter of support for the new orthography from Hutt City Council on 23 January
2024.5

Advice on
The Board’s expert licensed translator has consistently advised (twice in 2019,
Official
orthography6
2024) that Pitoone is the correct orthography, based on rules for compounding
words in the Guidelines for Māori Language Orthography published by TTWh.
The proposers sought further orthographic advice directly from TTWh. TTWh
the
provided a letter of support for the proposed Pito One, writing that ‘the
separation of the two words does not change the meaning of the name and
probably makes it clearer’. In the letter TTWh states: ‘We understand that our
orthographic conventions are being used to justify Pitoone but point out the
under
following from the conventions:
1.Section 3: 3 - proper names - separately if appropriate i.e., Pito One.’
Section 3 concerns compounding of proper nouns [these same rules were cited
for ‘Pitoone’], when to use hyphens, and specific rules around [Te], [Ngā/kā],
nui/iti, and particles. TTWh may have meant to refer to Section 2 #3, which
states ‘where there is a good chance for a compound to be misunderstood, if
separating the words removes or lessens that likelihood, then separate them.’
Released

4 A recorded place name is one that has appeared on at least two authoritative publications, ie maps, charts or databases, which the
Board has resolved to be: NZMS map, Toitū Te Whenua LINZ Archived Place Names Database, Kā Huru Manu, and all hydrographic and
bathymetric maps and charts published under a New Zealand hydrographic authority at the time of publication. A recorded name is not
official.
5 Noting it remains dated 29 November 2023 per the original letter.
6 The conventions and rules of how to write a language.
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Relevant sections
Functions under section 11(1) are to: (b) examine cases of doubtful spelling of
from the NZGB Act  names and determine the spelling to be adopted on official charts or official
2008
maps, and (d)&(e) to encourage the collection and use of original Māori names
on official charts and maps.
Pito One is advised to be the correct spelling.

Standard for NZ
1.3 Undesirable names and other considerations
place names criteria  (e) Long-term existing names or names that are in common local use may take
precedence over new names if they conform to this standard. Some long-term
existing names (Māori and non-Māori) will not conform to the standard but are
historically embedded.
1982
The Board has consistently recognised that Petone is not correctly spel ed but
has upheld Petone based on long term and established use. The Board may
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consider that the reasons provided in this proposal, including support from
the relevant local authority, Hutt City Council, mean it is now time to correct
the spelling of this suburb name.
1.5 Orthographic standards
(b) The correct use of…Māori place names is dependent on expert advice from
a licensed translator. The orthographic conventions of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo
Māori (the Māori Language Commission) should be followed. However, advice
from relevant hapū or iwi associated with the name will be taken into account.
Information
The relevant hapū/iwi associated with the name have proposed Pito One and
TTWh advise that this is the correct orthography. Section 11(1)(f) of the NZGB
Act 2008 states that the Board may seek advice from Te Taura Whiri i te Reo
Māori on the correct orthography.
1.6 Altered names  Official
A name may be altered when it standardises the orthography. Any alteration
should balance the cultural and historical significance of the name against
long-term use and the practical need for location identification.
the
Petone is in long term use (~146 years since the ‘Town of Petone’
subdivisions). An alteration to Pito One is unlikely to affect practical
identification of the location as it is only an alteration to the spelling.

Addressing
Toitū Te Whenua LINZ maintains the NZ Suburbs and Localities dataset used
under
implications in
for official addresses. In July 2023 LINZ took over the dataset from Fire and
relation to the
Emergency New Zealand and published it on the LINZ Data Service. However,
proposal for the
legal authority to name and define the extents of suburbs and localities
suburb
remains with the Board. The difference between official suburb and locality
names under the Board’s jurisdiction and ‘suburbs’ and ‘localities’ for
administrative and addressing purposes can cause confusion.
The extent for Pito One in the proposal was provided by Hutt City Council and
Released may be viewed in its GIS.7 The extent is almost identical to the unofficial extent
for ‘Petone’ in the NZ Suburbs and Localities dataset, other than 1): following
the cadastral (property) boundaries of the shoreline and 2): a small extension
on the southwest.

7 https://www.huttcity.govt.nz/services/maps - last accessed 10 April 2024
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The extension likely reflects that the land is vested in Taranaki Whānui,
administered by Hutt City Council as a reserve, has boating facilities, and is
accessible only from Petone. It is a logical inclusion. Accordingly, the
implications for addressing are minimal. Notifying the proposed extent would
provide an opportunity for public feedback on these unofficial boundaries that
have been in use for 15-20 years.
Refer to Supporting information for an overlay of the two extents.

Cost implications
If the proposal proceeds, updates to signage, promotional material, maps,
databases, websites, etc would be done over time during routine maintenance.
Other than considering implications for updating the existing name Petone,
1982
various Hutt City, Wellington Region, and other government agencies initiatives
have incorporated the spellings ‘Pito-one’ or ‘Pito-One’, including the relevant
Community Board. These would also need to be updated.
Act
For a recent example, Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One (under construction with coastal
reclamation) and Pito-One to Melling (opened 2023) are sections of Te Ara
Tupua.8 This major project constructing a shared walking and cycle path (also
notably a seawall) will connect Wellington to Lower Hutt. Although the names
of paths are not themselves under the Board’s jurisdiction, any planned signage
on the path referring to the suburb as a destination would be.

Media
There is likely to be media coverage if the Board accepts the proposal. I f the
Information
Board proceeds to notify this proposal a media release from the Board will be
issued at the same time the Gazette Notice about five weeks after this hui.
There was extensive media coverage of the proposers’ request to Hutt City
Council to support the alteration of Petone to Pito-one, and the Council’s
resolution providing that support. Refer to Supporting information for
Official
references to eleven articles from 20 November 2023 to 27 November 2023.
However, the media attention raised awareness for the initial proposal for ‘Pito-
one’. Should the Board accept the updated proposal for Pito One, there may be
the
confusion. The Board’s media release will need to make it very clear that the
proposal is for Pito One.

under
Supporting information
1.  Proposal for Pito One – 2024-02-24
2.  Correspondence with licensed translator - 2024-01-31
3.  Correspondence with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori - 2024-03-25
4.  Board archive material on its prior discussion and decisions including 2007 and 2008 Treaty
proposals
5.  Correspondence with Justine Murray (RNZ) – February 2023
Released
6.  Overlay of proposed extent and existing unofficial extent from NZ Suburbs and Localities
Dataset.
7.  Secretariat research and media for Pito One proposal

8 https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/te-ara-tupua/ - last accessed 17 April 2023
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1982
Act
Information
Official
the
under
Released

- denying that Pito One is the ‘correct’ spelling and that Petone is ‘incorrect’
on the basis that te reo Māori wasn’t a written language, and there being
no historical evidence for the ‘Pito One’ spelling.
- concern that spel ed as two words, the ‘One’ in Pito One wil be read and
pronounced like the number in English. Some consider an alternative
proposal for Pito-one or Pito-One, a dual name with both spellings, or
compounding the name as Pitoone would at least solve this issue.
The reasons in the objecting submissions are not considered to outweigh the
original reasons why the Board accepted the proposal.
Relatively little comment was made on the extent of the suburb, but there are
some constructive suggestions in both the supporting and objecting submissions.
1982
Secretariat recommendations
Act
Recommendation 1
Consider the submissions and their reasons on the proposal to alter the existing
unofficial recorded suburb name Petone to Pito One as the official name, and its
proposed extent,
and
Reject the objecting submissions, including those that made alternative proposals,
based on the reasons provided not outweighing the reasons that the Board
accepted the proposal, being:
• the Board’s functions to determine the correct spel ing of pla
Information ce names,
with evidence of the provenance of the name and its correct spelling from
the proposers as mana whenua,
• the long-term use of the spelling as Petone not outweighing using the
correct orthography for an original Māori name,
• advice confirming the orthography for Pito One as two words, and not
Official
Pito-one or Pitoone, directly from Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori,
• the Board having recognised the incorrectness of the existing name several
times, notwithstanding it has previously considered ‘Pito-one’ or ‘Pitoone’
the
to be the correct spelling, and
• evidence of support from Hutt City Council and mana whenua,
and these additional reasons resulting from the submissions:
• further evidence of local support including from Wellington Regional
under
Council, Petone Local Board and other relevant iwi groups,
• no concern that ‘One’ in Pito One might be confused with the number in
English, noting ‘One’ (in Māori) is commonly part of many place names in
New Zealand, and
• a dual name or alternative names comprised of the current and proposed
names would be inappropriate, as the former is a transliteration of the
latter, and that the reasons and support for the current proposal outweigh
Released these alternative proposals,
and
Confirm the Board’s earlier decision to accept the proposal to alter the unofficial
suburb name Petone to Pito One,
and
Report the Board’s decision to the Minister for Land Information and request the
Minister to make the final determination on the proposal.
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
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Objective ID: A6601744

and
Recommendation 2
Encourage Toitū Te Whenua LINZ’s Addressing team to discuss with the Hutt City
Council suggestions in some submissions to 1. move the northern boundary from
the Wairarapa Line to Wakefield Street, and 2. include the area on the northwest
side of the Wairarapa Line either up to State Highway 2, or al  of the area of Pito-
One Road and Cornish Street.
Noting that the Board wil  not make a decision on the extent of the suburb but
wil  defer to the council and the Toitū Te Whenua LINZ Addressing team (with a
final decision made by the Suburbs and Localities dataset panel).
1982
Background
Board minutes  Letters of support were tabled (in English and te reo Māori) from Rangtitāne Tū Mai Rā
30 April 2024
Trust.
Act
[abridged]
The proposers, Wel ington Tenths Trust and Palmerston North Māori Reserve Trust, were
established to manage particular reserved lands and are associated with Taranaki Whānui.
The Board discussed the kōrero the proposers had provided for the name, which refers to
the burial of the umbilical cord in the sand and noted the frequently cited and more literal
meaning of ‘end of the beach’. The Board agreed that it is up to mana whenua to advise of
the meaning they give to their place names. The TPK observer noted that Te Ātiawa should
be able to provide a ful er explanation and that he, as far back as the 1960’s, recal ed [Sir]
Ralph Love’s kōrero on Pito One.
Information
There is a long history of the use of the name Pito One in the area, with documentary
evidence, and no doubt the name is correct. The Board has itself stated so several times
since the 1930s.
Notification
Official
Advice to
On 3 May 2024 the Secretariat advised the proposers and al  other relevant Māori
mana whenua  groups1 that the Board would be publicly notifying the proposal for three months
the
from 6 June 2024.
Al  groups other than Muaūpoko Tribal Authority signed a joint supporting
submission with Hutt City Council. Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira also made its own
supporting submission.
Advice to MPs  On 6 June 2024 th
under e Secretariat advised the Members of Parliament for Hutt South,
Te Tai Tonga, and al  adjacent electorates that the proposal was open for
submissions until 10 September 2024.
Public
The Board advertised the proposals:
notification
• in the New Zealand Gazette, Sunday Star Times, The Post and The Hutt News,
including
social media
and
• on the Toitū Te Whenua LINZ2 Consultation page, its Facebook page (including
Released a reminder), and the New Zealand Government’s Consultation page.
Media
The Board released a bilingual media advisory on 6 June 2024, which was also
published on the Toitū Te Whenua LINZ website.
1 Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa (and Waiwhetū marae, Te Tatau o Te Pō marae), Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, Te Rūnanga o Toa
Rangitira (Ngāti Toa), Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā Trust, Muaūpoko Tribal Authority
2 Land Information New Zealand
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
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Objective ID: A6601744

A number of media outlets reported on the proposals, and a Radio NZ article
published at the beginning of public consultation was syndicated by other media
outlets, for example, NZ Herald, Te Ao News.
The Board’s Secretary was interviewed on Newstalk ZB on 4 September 2024.3
These media articles refer:
Title
Outlet
Date
Consultation opens on place to change Petone’s
RNZ
6 June 2024
spelling to Pito One
Māori name changes for Auckland suburbs: NZ
NZ Herald
6 June 2024
Geographic Board opens consultations on proposals
1982
New names proposed for Auckland suburbs, other
1news
6 June 2024
parts of the country
New Zealand is changing its place names
The Economist  6 June 2024
Act
Pito One name change overdue
Radio Waatea
6 June 2024
From Aoraki to Whanganui: 25 of Aotearoa’s best
The Spinoff
11 June 2024
new (old) placenames
Place name changes: From Whanganui to
RNZ
21 June 2024
Kororāreka, what you need to know
Petone’s place in name change bids
Hutt News
11 July 2024
Pito One or Petone, as Hutt City looks at future of
The Post
4 September
Māori ward
2024
Information
Emotional scenes as Hutt City endorses Māori ward  The Post
5 September
2024
Correspondence
Official
On 19 September 2024 the Board received some research by John Hancock. He
points out that:  the
- graves at the Te Puni urupā (in the vicinity of the historic Pito One pā) are
engraved PITOONE,
- a manuscript letters from Te Puni to the Commissioner of Crown Lands,
Donald McLean, dated 7 February 1851 uses Pitoone4.
under
During the notification period John Hancock made an objecting submission which
was highlighted as being ambiguous and possibly intended to be a supporting
submission. The content didn’t contain any discernible objecting reasons.
Released
3 Proposal to restore two Māori place names in Auckland accessed 27 June 2024
4 Letter from Te Puni to McLean. McLean, Donald (Sir), 1820-1877 : Papers. Ref: MS-Papers-0032-0675B-03. Alexander Turnbull Library,
Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22778528
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Objective ID: A6601744

Submissions
Summary
During the notification period between 6 June 2024 and 10 September 2024 the
Board received 2081 submissions supporting and 762 submissions objecting to the
proposal. These 2,843 total submissions are the highest number of submissions
received for any proposal under the NZGB Act 20085. The trend of high submission
numbers for recent proposals may indicate growing public interest in place names.
The Secretariat has commented on some of the submissions but has otherwise
categorised submissions according to standardised submission categories
established for this hui. Full copies of al  submissions are in the supporting
information.
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Local
This table has the location of al  submitters based on volunteered information,
engagement  which is col ected to inform on the level of local community engagement. It does
not indicate that they have a greater influence on the outcome of the proposal.
Act
There was a strong local response to the proposal with 43% of submissions from
residents of Petone and Lower Hutt, and 83% from the wider Wel ington Region.
Petone  Lower
Wellington
Rest
International
Unknown
Total
Hutt
Region
of NZ
Objecting
  95
303
246
  91
0
27
762
Supporting
123
707
883
329
5
34  2,081
Total
218
1,010
1,129
420
5
61  2,843
Affiliation
The online submission form has a voluntary option for affiliation for the Board’s
Information
field
reference when considering submissions. The submission spreadsheets in
supporting information have affiliation information where it has been provided.
General
Fifty-five submitters made more than one submission. Multiple submissions from
issues with
the same identifiable individual are counted as one submission for this report and
submissions
are identified in the submission summary spreadsheet in supporting information.
Official
There are other submissions where the same person is potentially using different
internet and email accounts, but where there is not enough evidence to confirm.
They are also highlighted i
the n the submission summary spreadsheet.
In reporting to the Board, the Secretariat has sometimes counted all submissions
separately even where clearly from the same submitter. Direction from the Board
on this matter wil  be sought and the Chairperson wil  provide an explanation prior
to consideration of the submissions.
under
Thirteen objecting submissions which contained content breaching the terms that
‘threatening or offensive submissions’ wil  not be considered. Thirty-three
supporting submissions flagged for their reference to ‘bastardised names’ remain
counted.
The proposals for Abbotts Creek, Rangitīkei District, Takaanini and Takaanini
Railway Station, Te Tōangaroa, and Maewa were notified at the same time as this
proposal. The Board received nine submissions that didn’t specify which proposal
Released they were objecting to. They are included in supporting information for reference.
Issues with
Approximately 62 submissions supporting and objecting to the proposal do not
the validity of  contain any reasons or are incoherent. For example, two objecting submissions and
submissions
one supporting submission just entered a [.] for their submission so that the
mandatory field is filled in on the online form.
5 New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008
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Objective ID: A6601744

Submissions that do not have reasons are not valid under the NZGB Act 2008, so
do not need to be considered by the Board. They have been identified in the
submission summary spreadsheet but have not been removed from numbers of
submissions and locations above. It is up to the Board to confirm if they should not
be considered.
Action 1: Board to consider whether these submissions have not met the required
threshold, and then the Secretariat to update the numbers.
Issues with
The proposal changing from Pito-one as initial y supported by Hutt City Council
submissions
and reported in the media in November 2023, to Pito One when proposed to the
being made
Board in February 2024 and announced in June 2024, has caused some confusion.
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for Pito-one
Supporting submissions:
(and other
Two submitters indicated their support would be unchanged either way, but
variants)
considered the explanation and justification for the change from Pito-one to Pito
Act
One was confusing and insufficient.
Ninety supporting submitters support ‘Pito-one’ or ‘Pito-One’. Some of these
submissions were comprehensive, and ten noted whakapapa to iwi groups in the
area. However, these submissions did not comment on the orthography specifically
and some use Pito One, Pito-one and sometimes Pitoone interchangeably within
their submissions. It appears likely most or all would likely support Pito One, so
they are not considered to be ‘proposing an alternative name’ which would be
considered objecting submissions.
Information
Action 2: If the Board has concerns it could defer its decision on the submissions
to seek clarification from the submitters as there is a possibility they would object
to Pito One rather than Pito-one or Pito-One.
Two supporting submissions must be considered objections as they specifically
make an alternative proposal for Pito-one.
Official
One supporting submitter appears to think the proposal is a correction of Pito One
to Pito-one.
the
Objecting submissions:
Twenty-eight objecting submitters object to the name being altered to Pito-One or
Pito-one. Like the supporting submissions, these mostly did not comment on the
orthography. Many used Pito-one, Pito One and a wide variety of other spellings
interchangeably sometimes in the same sentence. Some specifically object to the
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orthography and these are noted below as alternative proposals.
Some objecting submitters remarked that change to the orthography of the
proposed name shows proof there is no objectively correct spelling, therefore,
there’s no issue with retaining Petone.
General
Both supporting and objecting submissions contain a variety of other iterations of
the na
Released me, including ‘Peto One’, ‘Pita’, ‘Peta’, ‘Perone’ etc. These are considered to
be typos and not alternative proposals.
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
Page 6 of 12
Objective ID: A6601744

Summary of the 2,081 supporting submissions
General y, the supporting submitters provided reasons that align with the reasons why the Board
accepted the proposal, particularly:
•  correcting the spelling and restoring the original name would accurately reflect its meaning and
tell its story. It would inspire people whether local y, national y, or international y to learn the
unique history of the place.
•  support for mana whenua and to acknowledge cultural heritage in the area.
•  that there’s no doubt as to the correction, with plenty of historical evidence showing that
Petone is a transliteration/Anglicising/corruption/etc of the original name. The change is long
overdue, having been recognised as incorrect for so long.
Other themes in the supporting submissions include:
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•  it being valuable for travellers and tourists to have an authentic and unique name which could
inspire them to learn about the place and its history,
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•  support for standardisation efforts and correction of Māori place names, and actions which
elevate the general level of understanding and comprehension for all New Zealanders,
•  the proposal being decolonisation,
•  arguments about the cost not outweighing the importance of the correction.
Many supporting submitters consider that making the change wil  help the revitalisation of te reo
Māori and correct how the name is pronounced. Many see the proposal against a backdrop of New
Zealand’s societal issues, and that making the change wil  honour Te Tiriti and demonstrate that
the country is stil  progressing as a society and nation. Some see the proposal as a celebration of
Information
shared Māori/non-Māori heritage and biculturalism.
Group or organisational submissions were received from Hutt City Council (noted below),
Wellington Regional Council, Petone Community Board, Petone Historical Society and Te
Rūnanganui o Toa Rangatira.
Noting the volume of supporting submissions, these submissions contain points of interest, are
Official
representative of the supporting submissions or are otherwise comprehensive:
Date
Submitter
Summary/Reason why highlighted
6 June 2024  [ s 9(2)(a) ]
Professional historian and Waitangi Tribunal researcher. Considers Petone
the
meaningless etymologically and also fails to adhere to English rules of
pronunciation. Restoring Pito One also celebrates the power of women in its
meaning, a topic not well represented in history and geography.
6 June 2024
Considers it highly objectionable that corrections to original Māori names need to
go through a public consultation process; why should people without a real
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connection get to have a say in the matter? Representative of a number of
submissions with similar sentiment.
6 June 2024
Descended from the first groups of settlers on the New Zealand Company ships
that disembarked at Pito One. Tells a bit of their family history and relationship
with local Māori. The submission is representative of a number of similar
supporting submissions from descendants of early settlers.
6 June 2024
Lengthy submission on the social and cultural harms caused by perpetuation of
incorrect place names, considering it to be racist, colonial, etc.
Released
6 June 2024
Provides a tribal history including some details about earlier Ngāti Mutunga
occupation not previously noted, and a view on Māori place naming in the area.
6 June 2024
Argues that the variability/inconsistency in the spelling of the name over time
demonstrates the need to standardise the spelling. This will help to revitalise te reo
Māori
6 June 2024
Submission possibly meant to be read as prose poetry, covering progress in place
names over time and imploring people to embrace change.
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
Page 7 of 12
Objective ID: A6601744

Date
Submitter
Summary/Reason why highlighted
26 June 2024  [ s 9(2)
Supports the proposal, but has some secondary suggestions, notably that to
(a) ]
recognise the bicultural and bilingual heritage perhaps the Board should consider
restoring Britannia as part of a dual name, Pito One / Britannia.
Possibly should be counted as an objection making an alternative proposal given the
thought put into the suggestion.
10
Hutt City
On 6 September 2024 at an open meeting Hutt City Council unanimously resolved
September
Council
to endorse a joint submission supporting the proposal (see above). While the
2024
formal minutes are not available yet, a recording of the decision is available.6
The joint submission is signed by:
•  Hutt City Council
•  Palmerston North Māori Reserve Trust
•  Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa
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•  Wel ington Tenths Trust
•  Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika Trust
•  Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Toa
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General y, the submission reiterates key points of the original proposal.
A smal  number of supporting submissions also made comments and suggestions regarding the
notified extent of the suburb:
Date
Submitter
Summary/Reason why highlighted
7 June 2024  [ s 9(2)(a) ]
Local resident of 50 years with extensive involvement in the community. Suggestion
to take the northern boundary to Wakefield Street for historical reasons.
4 September
Councillor of Wellington Regional Council making a submission in a personal
2024
capacity. Constructive suggestions regarding taking the western boundaries further
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to State Highway 2, to ensure that the park and ride for Petone Station is actually in
Petone [Pito One]..
9 September
Local resident of 50 years, former member of the Board (17 years). Submission
2024
mostly concerned with some suggestions regarding extending the western boundary
to include the whole of the flat, the industrial area of Pito-One Road and Cornish
Street.
Official
Because suburb boundaries are no longer included in any final determinations, the Board may
recommend that Toitū Te Whenua LINZ7 and Hutt City Council consider these suggested changes
to the extent, whatever the final determinat
the ion is on the place name.
One supporting submission indicated their support was conditional on the actual costs of making
the change, ie, only if it can be made cost effectively. They request that the Board provide some
indication of the actual costs.
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Summary of the 762 objecting submissions
Most objecting submissions gave reasons that fal  into these general categories:
•  Waste of time and money. Money can be spent in more useful ways.
•  Language and spelling – many submissions related to this category and are some topics are
covered in more detail below.
•  Costs to businesses, branded products, schools, etc, who wil  have to change their names. [The
Board’s consideration of cost implications is noted in the 30 April 2024 proposal report].
Released
•  Long term use and identity/connection/culture/history, ie Petone has its own identity after
150+ years, and the spelling ‘Pito One’ has no connection to this identity. Similarly, the original
Pito One applies only to the vicinity of the pā and there’s no connection to the entirety of the
current Petone.

6 6 September 2024 Additional Council meeting Part 2 - https://youtu.be/uE2Uf-TacL4?t=220
7 Land Information New Zealand
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
Page 8 of 12
Objective ID: A6601744

•  Anti-Māori sentiments (divisive, racist, proposal is pandering to a minority). People don’t
understand or want to use the Māori language or place names.
•  Any change should be voted on/decided by a referendum. Claims the proposal is not
supported by the local community and neither Hutt City Council nor Petone Community Board
consulted with their community. The silent majority oppose the proposal as people can’t be
bothered making a submission as the consultation process is a sham, the name change already
a given.
Noting the volume of objecting submissions, these submissions contain points of interest, are
representative of the objecting submissions or are otherwise comprehensive:
Date
Submitter
Summary/Reason why highlighted
26 June 2024  [ s 9(2)(a) ]
Māori cultural connections to the area and name are overstated/shallow given that
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the Taranaki iwi Wakefield encountered had themselves only conquered the area a
generation prior, and they mostly returned to Taranaki soon thereafter.
27 July 2024
Covers most reasons across the objecting submissions. Particularly, costs for small
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businesses and that the proposal does not address what effects there wil  be on
monuments, memorials, memorabilia, organisations, etc using Petone.
20 August
Long term resident. 1st example of a comprehensive objecting submission
2024
representative of most objecting submissions. Extensive argument that there is no
objectively correct spelling based on historical and more recent evidence (eg, the
proposers changed their proposal).
27 August
Long term resident. 2nd example of a comprehensive objecting submission
2024
representative of most objecting submissions. Extensive argument that there is no
objectively correct spelling based on historical and more recent evidence (eg, the
proposers changing their proposal).  Information
4 September
Argument that Māori did not independently create a written language, so there is no
2024
‘correct’ spelling of Petone. Therefore, the proposal is just ideological.
Representative of many similar submissions along these lines.
9 September
Covers most reasons across the objecting submissions. Particularly, considers that
2024
the origin/meaning supplied for the name was made up recently and it isn’t
supported by any evidence.
Official
Three objecting submissions commented on the notified extent, with one making a suggestion for
a change:
the
Date
Submitter
Summary/Reason why highlighted
27 August
[ s 9(2)(a) ]
Extensive submission touching on most reasons across the objecting submissions.
2024
Appears to generally agree with the proposed boundaries.
5 September
Representative of most reasons across the objecting submissions. Investigated the
under
2024
proposed boundaries, but was confused by the historical boundary for Petone
Borough [discontinued] in the New Zealand Gazetteer:
https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/4583
9 September
Extensive submission touching on most reasons across the objecting submissions.
2024
Considers the northwestern boundary has to include Pito-One Road, it would be
ridiculous not to.

Released
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
Page 9 of 12
Objective ID: A6601744

A range of reasons on the basis of language and the orthography of the current and proposed
names were received with some responded to below:
•  Petone cannot be referred to as a spel ing mistake when Māori did not have a written language.
•  The change to the proposed name from Pito-one is not properly explained and there’s no
evidence to justify it. The proposers are making things up, for example: ‘The original application
was for Pito-one, and this has changed to Pito One, so even the original applicants did not “get
the name right’.
Secretariat response: written language and the development of orthographic standards to
decide what is ‘correct’ typically follow long after the rise of any spoken language. This reason is
cited by many objecting submitters. Te reo Māori has orthographic standards set by Te Taura
Whiri i te Reo Māori (TTWh). Based on the meaning of the name, it has advised that Pito One is
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correct.

Act
•  Alternative proposals: Pito-one or Pito-One is the correct orthography, not Pito One.
•  Alternative proposals: whether or not it’s entirely correct, Pito-One, Pito-one, Pitoone, or Pitōne
should be the spelling to prevent confusion and mispronunciation with the English word ‘one’.
The proposed name would be abbreviated to just ‘Pito’ or ‘the Pits’ because of the confusion
that will arise. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and text-to-speech wil  be incapable of recognising the
Māori pronunciation of One, in an otherwise English sentence.
Secretariat response: At its 30 April 2024 hui the Board noted the advice from TTWh that Pito
One is orthographically correct.
Information
The suggested Pitōne using a macron instead of two [o]’s would lead to mispronunciation.
Macrons are used for long vowels, not where separate words or morphemes end and begin with
the same vowel. Both parts should be pronounced separately.
The official name would be required to be used on official documents.
Challenges for AI transcription is not the Board’s concern.
Official
•  New Zealand needs to adopt further written conventions for official documents in a bilingual
country, taking its cue from overseas examples, such as italicising one language. Pito One is a
the
case example where there’s no cue to indicate that ‘One’ is Māori rather than English.
Secretariat response: It would be confusing if some place names on signage (eg, Māori place
names) were italicised and others were not. Typically, there is only one name for a place. The
Board has considered in the context of dual and alternative names, or bilingual signage, that
italicising implies an italicised place name is subordinate to a non-italicised place name. ‘One’
under
(beach, sand) is a common Māori word and part of many place names.

•  Alternative proposals: a dual name, for example, Petone/Pito-One; alternative names; recognise
both names (unspecific form, order); both names as a compromise.
Secretariat response: dual or alternative names consisting of both a transliteration and the
correctly spelled iteration of the same place name are undesirable.
Released

•  Alternative proposals: Brittania, Pie Tony.
Secretariat response: No compelling reasons were provided for these alternative proposals.

•  If transliteration of English to Māori is acceptable (for example, Bethany → Petane) then
transliterations of Māori to English are acceptable.
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
Page 10 of 12
Objective ID: A6601744

Secretariat response: The Board has specific statutory functions to investigate and determine
the correct spelling of place names and restore original Māori names.

•  It only makes sense to alter a name once there is already a clear linguistic shift in the
community, citing Mount Taranaki having supplanted Mount Egmont.
Secretariat response: The proposal to alter Mount Egmont to Mount Taranaki received nearly
11,000 objections during the notification period. Officially restoring the original Māori name in
1986 (noting the Minister’s decision was for alternative names Mount Taranaki or Mount
Egmont) was a contributing factor to the shift over time as cited.

These additional reasons, which don’t fall into the standardised categories, were also given in the
1982
objecting submissions and are responded to:
•  Objects to Petone being referred to as an unofficial name in Board material, given it’s named
Act
on road signs, referred to in legislation, etc. The Board is biasing people against the existing
name.
Secretariat response: Official geographic names are defined under the NZGB Act 2008. Petone
has not been made official under the Act, but because it has been in long term use on
publications the Board considers authoritative, it is an unofficial recorded name.

•  Retain Petone for the suburb, official y name the pā and/or southwest corner of the beach Pito
One. It’s only happens that the suburb takes its name from Pito One pā, it could have been
Information
named for Hikoikoi pā.
Secretariat response: the Board could collect the original Māori name Pito One in the Gazetteer,
for the pā and/or beach. However, making Pito One official for the pā and beach would require
formal proposals and public notification. The proposal at hand is for the suburb. Should the
Board recognise the name of pā and beach it would be undesirable for the associated name of
Official
the suburb to be inconsistent.

•  The evidence presented to the Board was incorrect or incomplete, eg 1): the spelling Petone
the
has been in use since day 1 in 1840, ie, the current spelling has been in use longer than what
was reported to the Board, 2): A child born to the settlers that arrived at Petone, just hours after
landing, was named George Petone Carter to mark the momentous occasion, 3): The 1940 New
Zealand Centennial stamp is spelled Petone.
under
Secretariat response: As noted in the Board proposal report from April 2024, common use of
‘Petone’ appears from the 1870s. A few early examples of ‘Petone’ were noted in newspapers
(two prior to 1860), and none in government gazettes (based on simply text search), maps and
surveys, parliamentary papers, etc. Given the many transliterations during the early period of
European settlement it is likely further examples or an earlier example of ‘Petone’ could be
found.
The birth record for George P Carter8, birth record of his son (George Carter) in 1873, and a
Released
labelled contemporary photo from ~18909, all use the spelling ‘Petoni’. Obituaries in 1919
however, use the spelling ‘Petone’.10 His probate does not include his middle name.11

8 Noting it was compiled in 1847.
9 Price and Company. Price & Co (Wellington) fl 1864-1880 : Portrait of George Petoni Carter. Phil ips, D (Mrs), active 1976 : Photographs
of members of the George, Carter and Ena families, the Lyal  Bay tramshed and St Mary's Church, Cheltenham. Ref: PA3-0194. Alexander
Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22756040
10 Eg: PERSONAL MATTERS, Evening Post, Volume XCVI , Issue 140, 16 June 1919, Page 8
11 CARTER, George, R22225166, Archives New Zealand – last accessed 23 September 2024
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
Page 11 of 12
Objective ID: A6601744

A stamp issued in 1940 with the text ‘Petone Beach’12 is not documentary evidence of the
spelling of the name in 1840. For example, in 1940 for the Centennial Atlas the Honorary
Geographic Board intended to use the spelling Pitoone.
•  The origin/meaning of the name in the proposal that the name refers to the burial of umbilical
cords in the sand is a recent invention, made up to sound more important or poetic. There’s no
recorded evidence for this meaning. Conversely, the correct meaning of ‘end of the beach’ is
recorded in early publications in the 1840s and would have been provided by Māori at the time
like Te Puni.
Secretariat response: Mana whenua provided the origin/meaning of the name in the proposal.
Histories may be passed down orally without having been recorded. Much of the Board’s work
has involved correcting long term errors in the spelling and/or positions of place names.  1982
The correct orthography for the meaning ‘end of the beach’ would still be Pito One.

Act
•  Pito One wil  cause addressing issues because the ‘One’ part of the name wil  be recognised as
an address number, or as the post code, rather than a place name.
Secretariat response: addressing data does not hold text for suburb names and integers for
address numbers in the same field. NZ Post’s post codes are a separate layer of information to
property address.

•  Sir Apirana Ngata as Minister for Māori Affairs decided in 1930 not to pursue a name change,
this decision should stand.
Information
Secretariat response: In 1930 there was no proposal under the Designation of Districts Act 1908
to alter Petone to Pito-One. The Honorary Geographic Board’s 1930 decision, which did not
involve the Minister and was prior to Sir Āpirana Ngata’s membership on the Board, was to
publish a list of incorrectly spelled Wellington place names in newspapers, for the record.13

Official
Supporting information
1.  Board proposal report – Pito One – 2024-04-30
the
2.  Submissions summary spreadsheet for Pito One
3.  Unedited copy of original online Qualtrics platform submissions output for Pito One
4.  Copies of original direct supporting email submissions
5.  Copies of original direct objecting email submissions
under
6.  Nine miscellaneous objections (no proposal specified)
7.  Additions/subtraction to submissions
8.  Email from John Hancok – Pitoone research – 2024-09-19
Released

12 Jock Phillips, 'Anniversaries - New Zealand’s centennial, 1940', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand,
http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/zoomify/43023/centennial-stamps (accessed 23 September 2024)
13 For example: MIS-SPELT NAMES, Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 39, 14 August 1930, Page 17
Board hui 15 October/Oketopa 2024
Page 12 of 12
Objective ID: A6601744

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Media Articles for Pito One
Tables of media articles October 2024

Title
Source
Date
1.   Hutt City Council endorses Petone name change to Pito-one
NZ Herald  21 November 2023
2.   Pito-one: Fixing a 180-year-old spelling mistake
The Post
21 November 2023
3.   Petone to Pito-one name change gets backing from Hutt City Council  RNZ
21 November 2023
4.   How does Petone feel about Pito-one?
The Post
22 November 2023
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5.   Hutt City Council votes to revert Petone’s name back to Pito-one
Newshub
23 November 2023
6.   Petone to Pito-one: Changing the name of an area
Hutt City 27 November 2023
Act
Council
7.   Petone name change to Pito One under consideration by NZ  RNZ
30 April 2024
Geographic Board
8.   Petone or Pito-one: Geographic Board to consider name change  NZ Herald  30 April 2024
proposal today
9.   Consultation opens on place to change Petone’s spelling to Pito One  RNZ
6 June 2024
10   Māori  name  changes  for  Auckland  suburbs:  NZ  Geographic  Board  NZ Herald  6 June 2024
opens consultations on proposals
Information
11   New names proposed for Auckland suburbs, other parts of the
1news
6 June 2024
country
12   New Zealand is changing its place names
The
6 June 2024
Economist
Official
13   Pito One name change overdue
Radio
6 June 2024
Waatea
14   From Aoraki to Whanganui: 25 of Aotearoa’s best new (old)  The
11 June 2024
the
placenames
Spinoff
15   Place name changes: From Whanganui to Kororāreka, what you need  RNZ
21 June 2024
to know
16   Petone’s place in name change bids
Hutt News  11 July 2024
under
17   Pito One or Petone, as Hutt City looks at future of Māori ward
The Post
4 September 2024
18   Emotional scenes as Hutt City endorses Māori ward
The Post
5 September 2024
19   Place name changes: From Whanganui to Kororāreka, what you need  RNZ
21 June 2024
to knw
20   Decision to rename Lower Hutt suburb of Petone to Pito one referred  NZ Herald  15 October 2024
to minister
Released
21   Petone's proposed name change to Pito One now sits with Minister  RNZ
18 October 2024
22   The towns battling over English or Māori names
Stuff
20 October 2024
23   WATCH: What Petone residents think of a name change
Stuff
20 October 2024

Supporting document for BRF 25-142

Page 1 of 1
Objective ID: A6744852
[UNCLASSIFIED]

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Phone s9(2)(a)
Hamilton Office: Level 3, 65 Bryce Street
Wellington Office: Level 7, 155 The Terrace
Christchurch Office: 112 Tuam Street
www.linz.govt.nz | data.linz.govt.nz
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the intended recipient, you must not peruse, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message. If you have received
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