Report for altered names: Mount Eliott (spelling alteration from Mount Elliot) Mount Gordon (spelling alteration from Mount Gorden) Above Landsborough River, Solution Range, Westland Land District MAP1 NZTopo50-BY14, BY15 Crown Copyright Reserved SUMMARY The proposer is seeking to alter the spelling of two existing recorded names, Mount Elliot to Mount Eliott, and Mount Gorden to Mount Gordon. Westland Chief Surveyor Gerhard Mueller and explorer Charles (Charlie) Douglas named the two features in 1886-87 during a topographic survey of the Clarke River and Landsborough River valleys. The proposer contends that: - Mount Gorden is named for Henry A Gordon, then Inspector of Mines, and - Mount Elliot is named for Huntly J H Eliott, who was Under-Secretary for Crown Lands. Significant documentary evidence supports the proposals contextually, though there is no definitive piece of evidence. An analysis of senior government positions held 1876-1887 supports the proposer’s belief. The analysis strongly suggests that Mueller systematically named features in the area as a thematic set of Lands 1 Land Information New Zealand NZGB Meeting 20 April 2016 Page 1 of 19 Linzone ID A2334466 and Survey officials. The evidence suggests the spellings of ‘Gordon’ and ‘Eliott’ are correct. Long term use would not outweigh the NZGBs statutory functions to correct spelling under s.10(1)(c)(ii) and s.11(1)(b) of the NZGB Act 2008. The proposer and Secretariat have requested comment from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, particularly to determine whether original Māori names exists for these features, but no comment has been received to date. SECRETARIAT RECOMMENDATION Recommendation 1 Accept the proposal to alter Mount Gorden to Mount Gordon and Mount Elliot to Mount Eliott, based on (i) the evidence provided by the proposer confirmed by the Secretariat’s research, (ii) the NZGB’s statutory functions under s.10(1)(c)(ii) and s.11(1)(b) of the NZGB Act 2008 to investigate and correct cases of doubtful spelling, subject to support from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and Notify as proposals to alter for three months in terms of Section 16 of the NZGB Act 2008. OTHER OPTIONS Option 2 Decline the proposal to alter Mount Gorden to Mount Gordon and Mount Elliot to Mount Eliott, based on long term use of the names, as depicted on authoritative maps. NZGB Meeting 20 April 2016 Page 2 of 19 Linzone ID A2334466 SECRETARIAT ANALYSIS The Proposal The proposer is seeking to alter the recorded names of two alpine peaks: Mount Elliot to Mount Eliott Mount Gorden to Mount Gordon The proposer regularly submits cases of doubtful spelling for consideration under s.11(1)(b) of the NZGB Act 2008. The proposal argues that Westland’s former Chief Surveyor, Gerhard Mueller, named the two features after government officials: - Mount Gordon for Henry Andrew Gordon, who was Inspector of Mines at the time, and - Mount Eliott for Huntly J H Eliott, then Under-Secretary for Crown Lands. Many of the features named by Mueller in the Landsborough River valley have been previously identified with government officials, eg: - Mount Percy Smith for the (then) assistant Surveyor-General Stephenson Percy Smith. - Mount McKerrow for the (then) Surveyor-General James McKerrow. The proposer has also submitted similar cases in the area previously. In 1998 the NZGB declined to alter Mount Strachan to Mount Strauchon, due to duplication with another Mount Strauchan immediately southwest, long term use, and for safety considerations. This feature was identified with John Strauchon, a Westland District Surveyor in 1887. The proposer has provided a body of contextual evidence to support his proposals, and quotes two sources in particular referring to Mueller’s naming practices in the Landsborough River Valley. Charles Douglas, quoted in John Pascoe’s, Mr Explorer Charlie Douglas: “The fact is that the N. Zealand Maps are over-named, why should every Knob in a Mountain have a separate name, outside of the Survey Office? Mr. Mueller’s Map of the Landsbro is a case in point, there has been no attempt to get out of the Browns and the Jones here. Now a stranger to the country looking at that Map, would conclude that the long line of illustrious names which decorate it from Sefton to Brewster represents so many daring colonials who ascended these towering Peaks. He would never dream that sheer bad taste and poverty of Invention, put such everyday names on the country, never imagine that Government Clarks and Survey apprentices, supplied the illustrious names and that the towering Peaks don’t tower at all, but are simply knobs on a Mountain Mass bearing about the same proportion to it that the teeth do to a Saw.” 2 John Pascoe’s, Great Days in New Zealand Exploration: “The only regret is that in naming the many impressive peaks on the Main Divide, Mueller chose those of New Zealand surveyors. However deserving these be might be, it is a matter for dismay to find such a procession as Mounts Trent, Fraser, Dobson, Kitson, Jackson, Baker, Clarke, Percy Smith, Humphries, Arthur, McKerrow, Hopkins, Foster, Spence, Montgomerie, Burns, and the rest. Perhaps with a dash of some of the most notable of these surveyors with a backing of more imaginative names might have contended posterity.”3 On 21 March 2016 the proposer forwarded reference to an additional 2 John Pascoe (1957), Mr Explorer Charlie Douglas, A W & A H Reed: Hong Kong, p.142 3 John Pascoe (1959), Great Days in New Zealand Exploration, A W & A H Reed: Wellington, p.132 NZGB Meeting 20 April 2016 Page 3 of 19 Linzone ID A2334466 piece of evidence, Charlie Douglas’ hand drawn geological roll map Okarito to Big Bay. The Secretariat had already considered this evidence, as it available digitised from Archives New Zealand.4 Historical Maps, Mount Eliott Plans First named on maps by Westland Chief Surveyor Gerhard Mueller in 1887. The spelling change to Mount Elliot appears to occur with the depiction of the name on NZMS mapping, and is consistently depicted as ‘Elliot’ thereafter. Year Map/Plan Depicted/Named 1864 Map of the Province of Canterbury Not depicted, not named 1874 Province of Westland Not named 1884 Map of the Middle [South] Island - Not named Mining district, Westland 1887 SO 8701 (Roll Plan 1/11) Mount Eliott Topographical Plan of Landsborough and Clarke Country 1887 SO’s 5688 and 5689 (Roll Plan 1/11A) Mount Eliott Topographical Plan of Landsborough and Clarke Country 1887 Topographical Plan of Landsborough Mount Eliott and Clarke Country Lithograph accompanying SURVEYS OF NEW ZEALAND. (REPORT FOR 1886- 87.), AtoJs, 1887, Session II, C-02 No date SO 8703 (Roll Plan 1/13) Depicted but not named 1894 SO 8819 Landsborough River (Roll Plan Mount Eliott 2/13) 1897 Topographical Plan of Landsborough Mount Eliott and Clarke Country – route from Ohau to Paringa Lithograph accompanying DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY (ANNUAL REPORT ON). Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1897 Session II, C-01 1903? Geological Roll Map – Okarito to Big Mount Eliott Bay 1919 1st ed. NZMS 15 Westland County s.6 Mount Elliot 1950 3rd ed. NZMS 15 Westland County s.6 Mount Elliot 1963 1st ed. NZMS 177 S88 Mount Elliot 1971 1st ed. NZMS 1 S88 Landsborough Mount Elliot 1978 2nd ed. NZMS 1 S88 Landsborough Mount Elliot 1991 1st ed. NZMS 260 H37 Mount Elliot 2009- NZTopo50-BY14 Mount Elliot Current 4 http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE11951470 last accessed 24/03/2016 NZGB Meeting 20 April 2016 Page 4 of 19 Linzone ID A2334466 Mount Gordon First named on maps by Westland Chief Surveyor Gerhard Mueller in 1887. The spelling varies between Gordon or Gorden on different versions of Mueller’s reconnaissance survey of Clarke River and Landsborough River, and subsequent maps. The proposer has not identified this discrepancy, as it is unlikely that he would have access to survey plans in Landonline, and the original Roll Maps are at Archives New Zealand, Christchurch. Two versions of the same map drafted by J E Pfiefer (Hokitika Survey Office) in the same year differ in spelling, suggesting an error. ‘Gordon’ is not recorded on maps or plans after 1950. Year Map/Plan Depicted/Named 1864 Map of the province of Canterbury Not depicted, not named 1874 Province of Westland Not named 1884 Map of the Middle [South] Island - Mining Not named district, Westland 1887 SO 8701 (Roll Plan 1/11) Mount Gorden Topographical Plan of Landsborough and Clarke Country (Draughter J E Pfiefer) 1887 SO’s 5688 and 5689 (Roll Plan 1/11A) Mount Gordon Topographical Plan of Landsborough and Clarke Country (Draughter J E Pfiefer) 1887 Topographical Plan of Landsborough and Mount Gordon Clarke Country Lithograph accompanying SURVEYS OF NEW ZEALAND. (REPORT FOR 1886-87.), AtoJs, 1887, Session II, C-02 No date SO 8703 (Roll Plan 1/13) Depicted but not named 1894 SO 8819 Landsborough River (Roll Plan Mount Gorden 2/13) (Draughter F J Harrop) 1897 Topographical Plan of Landsborough and Mount Gordon Clarke Country – route from Ohau to Paringa NZGB Meeting 20 April 2016 Page 5 of 19 Linzone ID A2334466 Lithograph accompanying DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY (ANNUAL REPORT ON). Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1897 Session II, C-01 1903? Geological Roll Map – Okarito to Big Bay Mount Gordon 1949 3rd ed. NZMS 15 Westland County s.7 Mount Gorden 1950 3rd ed. NZMS 15 Westland County s.6 Mount Gordon 1959 4th ed. NZMS 15 Westland County s.7 Mount Gorden 1963 NZMS 177 S88 Landsborough Mount Gorden 1971 1st ed. NZMS 1 S88 Landsborough Mount Gorden 1978 2nd ed.