Report on Submissions for Remutaka Pass Summit of Rimutaka Hill Road, State Highway 2, -

MAP 1

SUMMARY

• At its meeting on 29 April 2015 the NZGB agreed to accept a proposal to assign Remutaka Pass at the 555 m summit of Rimutaka Hill Road where State Highway 2 crosses Rimutaka Range. • During the consultation period between 28 May 2015 and 28 August 2015, the NZGB received two objecting submissions and fourteen submissions supporting the proposal. • The supporting submissions unanimously support the spelling ‘Remutaka’, which mana whenua and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori have previously advised is the correct spelling. Some supporting submitters have also commented on the name’s historic significance to and traditional use by, tangata whenua.

1 Land Information New Zealand

23 September 2015 Page 1 of 7 Linzone ID A2058161 • The Council has commented in its supporting submission that some Councillors are neutral on the description ‘Pass’ and could not agree whether it is an accurate description of the feature. • The reasons provided in the objecting submissions were that the generic term ‘Pass’ is not appropriate and that the NZGB should not be altering the name of the road. These are not considered to outweigh the benefit to road users and emergency services of officially naming the unnamed feature so that it is shown on maps and road signs because: - the generic term ‘Pass’ is an accurate description of the feature as it is an opening ‘pass’ between the peaks at 725 m (currently named Rimutaka) and 635 m (unnamed) connecting two differently named ranges: Rimutaka Range and , and - the NZGB has been consistently clear in its original proposal report for the 29 April 2015 meeting and in subsequent media releases that the proposal is to assign a new name to an unnamed geographic ‘Pass’ feature, and not to alter the name of the road, which it has no jurisdiction over.

SECRETARIAT RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1 Consider all objecting and supporting submissions in terms of Section 18(1)(a) of the NZGB Act 2008,

and

Recommendation 2 Reject the objecting submissions in terms of Section 18(1)(b) of the NZGB Act 2008, based on Remutaka being the correct spelling, the generic term ‘Pass’ being an accurate description of the feature, and support for the proposal by mana whenua and the South Wairarapa District Council, as well as other supporting submitters, noting that the proposal is not to alter the name of the road, which the NZGB has no jurisdiction over. and Recommendation 3 Report to the Minister for Land Information on the Board’s decision to assign Remutaka Pass,

and

Recommendation 4 Request the Minister for Land Information make the final determination by confirming, modifying or rejecting the NZGB’s decision in terms of Section 20(2) of the NZGB Act 2008, and Recommendation 5 Notify the final determination, once made by the Minister for Land Information, pursuant to Section 21 of the NZGB Act 2008.

23 September 2015 Page 2 of 7 Linzone ID A2058161 SECRETARIAT ANALYSIS

NZGB MINUTES 29 APRIL 2015

NZGB Discussion The NZGB noted the information and report provided (Linzone ID A1923119). The NZGB discussed whether its decision could legitimately be deferred or made part of cultural redress for a Treaty of Waitangi claim.

If deferred, the NZGB would not reconsider the proposal until April 2016. The NZGB noted that the proposer is 93 years old and had gone to considerable trouble with mana whenua, who support the proposal, to provide extensive documentary evidence of that support. Resolutions The NZGB resolved to accept the proposal to assign Remutaka Pass to the unnamed 555 m summit of Rimutaka Hill Road where State Highway 2 crosses Rimutaka Range, based on support from mana whenua, advice from Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori that the orthography is correct, the feature being access to recreational pursuits and an area of significant crash history, and it being of benefit to emergency services and the Met Service to officially name the feature. AND Notify as a proposal to assign for a period of three months in terms of Section 16 of the NZGB Act 2008. AND Confirm that a press release be issued at the time of gazettal and newspaper notification (ie a month after the meeting), advising of the NZGB’s decision; Confirm the NZGB spokespeople as the Chairperson in English and Mr Rikirangi Gage in te Reo Māori. AND If Remutaka Pass becomes an official geographic name, recommend that an entry be added to the online Dictionary for New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). Further NZGB Discussion The NZGB noted that the proposal is to assign a new name to the geographic pass feature, and not to the Rimutaka Hill Road or Rimutaka Hill, as has been reported in the media. The NZGB agreed that given the level of interest from media a shorter, sharper and simplified press release should go out to claimants, mainstream media and all interested local authorities as soon as possible to avoid other media picking up and reporting the wrong information. The NZGB agreed that a further general media advisory would be put out when consultation begins. The NZGB discussed whether the LINZ logo on the press release should be removed to clearly indicate that the information is coming from the NZGB and not LINZ. The NZGB agreed that as the NZGB sits within LINZ, this discussion would need to be taken up at a future time with LINZ. The NZGB agreed that the Chairperson, LINZ’s communications team and the Secretariat would finalise wording and timing of the media releases for the Whanganui District and Remutaka Pass proposals, and that the Minister for Land Information would be advised of the NZGB’s decisions as soon as possible given that she has been requested not to make comment before the final decision is made.

23 September 2015 Page 3 of 7 Linzone ID A2058161 FURTHER CONSULTATION SINCE THE NZGB’S MEETING ON 29 APRIL 2015

Consultation with • On 1 May 2015 the NZGB advised Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, iwi Rangitāne, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Atiawa (Wellington), Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te ika, Wellington Tenths Trust, Palmerston North Māori Reserve Trust and Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, who have an interest in the area 2 that it had agreed to publicly notify the proposal to assign Remutaka Pass for a period of three months. • The NZGB received these responses from mana whenua:

Date Iwi Iwi comment 1 May Wellington Tenths The NZGB’s advice of public notification 2015 Trust is much appreciated. They have ‘already advised Rangitane 1 May (sic) that they do not object to this 2015 (via Ngāti Toa Rangatira change of spelling from Rimutaka to TPK) Remutaka’. Te Ohu Tiaki o Has no comment as the area sits 3 May Rangitāne Te Ika a outside of its rohe and within the rohe 2015 Māui Trust of Rangitāne o Wairarapa.

7 May Port Nicholson Block Supports the proposal for Remutaka 2015 (via Settlement Trust Pass. TPK) • Refer to the supporting submissions below for responses from Rangitāne o Tamaki nui a Rua Inc and Rangitāne Settlement Negotiations Trust.

SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED

Submitter Reason given in submission Submission received

Susan Mitchell • It is past time to correct the historical 2 June 2015 inaccuracy.

BL Knight • Agrees with reasons given based on the 4 June 2015 known history. It is out of character not to call the feature a ‘Pass’. • Irene Gaye Woodcock Honours the story of Haunuinanaia as part of 5 June 2015 the history of the Rangitane Iwi o Wairarapa. • Rights a long term wrong of the spelling and recognises the name’s historic significance to and traditional use by tangata whenua. Support • Joanne Browne It is the correct spelling for the mountain 8 June 2015 range where the pass is located and gives the correct meaning to the name. • Supports the range and associated features being renamed ‘Remutaka’ so they are correctly spelled. • Adrienne Staples SWDC supports the change to Remutaka and 17 June 2015 (Mayor of South remains neutral on the description ‘Pass’ as Wairarapa District the councillors could not agree whether it is Council) an accurate description of the feature. • Some councillors thought it could be confusing to tourists as it has no similarity to South Island mountain passes; however, all agreed that the current ‘hill’ is not an

2 Iwi recognised by the Crown in the Māori Fisheries Act 2004 and other iwi/hapū formally recognised by the Crown for historic Treaty settlement purposes. Tākitimu: Te Puni Kōkiri . http://www.tkm.govt.nz/region/takitimu/

23 September 2015 Page 4 of 7 Linzone ID A2058161 Submitter Reason given in submission Submission Support received accurate description either. • Trevor FitzJohn The correct Māori spelling appears to be 23 June 2015 Remutaka, not Rimutaka. • The road crosses the mountain (not hill) range at a pass, not a summit, as the current road name suggests. • Naming the pass is the basis for correcting the road name later, and accuracy is important. Rangitāne o Tamaki • Has no issues with the proposed name and 29 June 2015 nui a Rua Inc supports naming the summit, Remutaka Pass. • Michael Shale All names should be spelled correctly to 30 July 2015 convey the correct meaning. • ‘Pass’ conveys the sense of ‘passing’ from the Wairarapa valley into the valley. Robert Macbeth • To give due respect to the manawhenua of 30 July 2015 Waiararapa, and to reflect the true origin and meaning to the Māori names of our locations, it is only right to correct this name.

Horipo Rimene • To Rangitāne o Wairarapa iwi ‘Remutaka’ 30 July 2015 means to sit down. When our ancestor stopped at the top of the range he glared at the beautiful valley below and as he sat down ‘Remutaka’ to take a rest he noticed the glistering waters in which he name this Wairarapa Moana.

Sarah Reeves • Remutaka is the correct Māori name with 28 August 2015 historic, cultural and whakapapa links to the tangata whenua of the region. The name should be corrected and not remain as a meaningless word which came about through misunderstanding or ignorance. • Rangitāne Settlement The proposal is directly relevant to their 28 August 2015 Negotiations Trust Treaty settlement and the submission is made in accordance with evidence of Rangitāne’s (sic) tangata whenua status over the Wairarapa area within which the proposal falls. • Evidence that Remutaka was the original name of the range of hills between the Hutt Valley and Wairarapa, now known as Rimutaka. Customary evidence from the Wairarapa ki Tararua District Inquiry supports that the name Remutaka comes from the story of the travels of Haunui-ā- Nanaia, an important tupuna who named the Wairarapa, and literally means ‘place where Te Haunui a Nanaia tore hem of cloak’. • The site is one of significance for Rangitāne. • Confirms that the orthography ‘Remutaka’ provided by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori is correct. • Supports the correction of all official names with the spelling ‘Rimutaka’ in the area, and will continue to pursue as part of Rangitāne settlement. Malcolm & Janet • Support the name ‘Remutaka Pass’ for the 23 August 2015

23 September 2015 Page 5 of 7 Linzone ID A2058161 Submitter Reason given in submission Submission Support received Freebairn’s summit of the Rimutaka Hill Road where it submission with the crosses between Tararua Range and names and signatures Rimutaka Range. of 25 people

T & J Dennison’s • Support the name ‘Remutaka Pass’ for the 24 August 2015 submission with the summit of the Rimutaka Hill Road where it names and signatures crosses between Tararua Range and of 20 people Rimutaka Range. • Karen McClelland Agrees that the name of the hill and all 28 May 2015 associated features should be renamed Remutaka as it was originally meant to be. Object • Objects to ‘Pass’ as it’s not a pass, and recommends that the NZGB considers Remutaka Range or Remutaka Hill for the whole hill from Upper Hutt to Featherston. • Helen Hawke Adding another name to the area will create 9 August 2015 confusion and isn’t logical. The area is well known as ‘the Rimutakas’ and to locals as

‘the Hill’ or ‘The Hill Road’. • To be precise it should be Rimutaka Hill Road.

Secretariat • One of the objecting submitters, who supports the spelling ‘Remutaka’ comments on the but objects to the generic term ‘Pass’, recommends that ‘the whole hill submissions from Upper Hutt to Featherston be named Remutaka Range or Remutaka Hill’. The feature clearly meets the definition of a pass as it is an opening ‘pass’ between the peaks at 725 m (currently Rimutaka) and 635 m (unnamed). The range and hill are not ‘pass’ features. • The other objecting submitter appears to be confused that the proposal is to alter the name of the road, rather than to assign a new name to the geographic ‘Pass’ feature. The NZGB has been consistently clear in its original proposal report for its meeting of 29 April 2015 and in subsequent media releases that the proposal is to assign a new name to an unnamed geographic ‘Pass’ feature, not to alter the name of the road, which it has no jurisdiction over. • The supporting submissions unanimously support the spelling ‘Remutaka’, which mana whenua and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori have previously advised is the correct spelling. Many submitters have commented on the name’s historic significance to and traditional use by, tangata whenua. Several submitters have commented that the generic term ‘Pass’ conveys the sense of ‘passing’ from the Wairarapa valley into the Upper Hutt valley.

MEDIA

• As the proposal had generated considerable media interest, the NZGB issued a press release immediately after its meeting on 29 April 2015, which clarified that the feature being named is not the road, and advised the dates that the proposal would be open for consultation on. • The NZGB released a further general media advisory when consultation began on 28 May 2015 and again one month prior to consultation closing

23 September 2015 Page 6 of 7 Linzone ID A2058161 on 28 August 2015. • The proposal has continued to capture the media’s attention with LINZ’s Media Monitors providing a further 15 articles to the NZGB. Of note is the Wairarapa Times Age ‘Opinion’ piece on the proposal by the NZGB’s Chairperson on 4 August 2015.

NZSL

Online Dictionary • There is no standardised New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) sign for of New Zealand Remutaka Pass in the online Dictionary. Sign Language • NZSL as an official language and New Zealand’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) provide a basis for the NZGB to recognise the existence and importance of geographic names as they are expressed in NZSL. • The NZGB may consider recommending that if Remutaka Pass becomes official that it be added to the NZSL Dictionary.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. Proposal report for Remutaka Pass – 29 April 2015 2. Emails with comments and support from iwi – 1 May 2015, 3 May 2015 and 7 May 2015 3. Copies of supporting submissions 4. Copies of objecting submissions 5. Media articles

23 September 2015 Page 7 of 7 Linzone ID A2058161