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% preferred Wanganui, 23% Whanganui
and 13% were undecided.
The last time the company polled on the same issue 59% wanted
Wanganui and 30% wanted the `h' in the name.
Of Maori polled 50% 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% of National voters wanted a change compared to 31%
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%.
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