Name Change Request Sent To Minister

A request for a name change from Te Irirangi to either Howick or Howick-Pakuranga-Botany will arrive on the desk of the Local Government Minister on Monday morning.

At a public meeting on Friday night chaired by independent Chair Hon Maurice Williamson, MP for Pakuranga, the following resolution was passed:

THAT the Howick, Pakuranga and Botany Community Boards jointly reject Te Irirangi as the name for the new East Auckland Ward and Local Board and urge the Local Government Commission and the Minister of Local Government to rename the Ward and Local Board either Howick or Howick-Pakuranga-Botany.

The motion was passed by the public meeting by approximately 340 votes to 8 and by all three Community Boards: Howick unanimously, Pakuranga unanimously and Botany 5:1.

Pakuranga MP Hon Maurice Williamson and Botany MP Hon Pansy Wong have agreed to ask the Minister of Local Government, Rodney Hide and Parliament to change the name.

During the meeting the following petitions and surveys were presented:

Cr Michael Williams Petition 1169 in favour of Howick-Pakuranga-Botany

Howick&Pakuranga Times Survey 577 votes, 97% in favour of Howick-Pakuranga-Botany

Dan Cullum Facebook Page 2640 members of Howick-Pakuranga-Botany... NOT Te Irirangi

Cr Sharon Stewart Petition 2000 approx. in favour of Howick-Pakuranga-Botany

Lyn Murphy Board Member Survey 3136 votes, 96% in favour of Howick-Pakuranga-Botany
http://www.formspring.com/forms/?928170-Gm6y6WvtS5

While the majority of those present at the meeting were grey haired, a perusal of Dan Cullum’s Facebook Page shows the extent to which young people support a change in name.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106526996034473&ref=mf

Local Howick resident Don Mackereth read out the meaning of Irirangi from the HW Williams Maori Dictionary:

“Spirit voice, which was regarded as a bad omen; Restless, Unsettled, Agitated”

“The meeting attendees certainly were restless, unsettled and agitated when they went into the meeting,” says Councillor Michael Williams, “but left content that democracy was at work.”

Two men from Otara spoke, saying that they supported changing the name from Te Irirangi so that the new Otara Papatoetoe Local Board could have the name.

Councillor David Collings has listed the name Te Irirangi for sale on Trademe.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=280200128&ed=true

“After the meeting, Community Board members privately discussed the possibility of a telephone poll to determine support for the two potential names, Howick and Howick-Pakuranga-Botany. Although a majority of the public meeting supported the name Howick, the meeting was held in Howick and it was felt that the audience was not truly representative of all three wards.” Says Councillor Williams.

ENDS

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