Proposals considered by the NZGB on 18 October 2019 for: Lancaster Creek [assign a new name] Mount Lancaster [altered from Lancaster (peak)] NZTopo50-BN33,BN34 Crown copyright reserved Inset map LINZ ‘Topo’ basemap Summary The proposals are to: - assign an official name, Lancaster Creek, to a small unnamed stream flowing from Lancaster (proposed as Mount Lancaster) into Park River, - alter the unofficial recorded peak name, Lancaster, to Mount Lancaster. Both features are approximately 19km southeast of Levin in Tararua Range. The peak was named in 1909 for the proposer’s great-grandfather Ernest Lancaster, a farmer, tramper and explorer. The name is one of many that tramping clubs applied in Tararua Range in the early 20th century. The area has significant recreational use. Several huts are in the vicinity with trails including Te Araroa passing over the highest ridgelines. The proposer has provided evidence of support or no concerns from several tramping clubs, the Department of Conservation (DOC) who administer Tararua Forest Park, RCCNZ1, and LandSAR2, for either one or both names. On advice from Te Puni Kōkiri the proposer contacted four Māori groups, but has not received their views. The Secretariat contacted the same groups and others based on their areas of interest, but has not received any views. Noting some support for the proposed Lancaster Creek, the proposer has not provided compelling reasons to name a second and relatively minor feature Lancaster. The draft Standard for New Zealand place names (agenda item 7) also states, ‘A person may only be honoured with one place name’. However, the peak and stream are geographically associated and there are many examples of this naming practice throughout New Zealand, including Thompson (peak) and Thompson Creek adjacent to these proposals. While noting the NZGB’s draft Generic Terms Policy (agenda item 6) which encourages generic terms, and some support for ‘Mount Lancaster’, the existing name is in long term use without a generic term. The majority of peaks in Tararua Range are named without a generic term, and may be 1 RCCNZ – Rescue Coordinat on Centre New Zealand 2 LandSAR - Land Search and Rescue NZGB hui 18 October 2019 Page 1 of 7 Linzone ID: A3785949 approved under section 24 for Wellington Region (agenda item 16.1). In 1935 the Honorary Geographic Board approved Lancaster and all of the Tararua Range names shown on NZMS 57,3 but they were not later gazetted. Secretariat recommendations At its meeting on 18 October 2019 the NZGB resolved recommendations 1 and 2. Recommendation 1 Decline the proposal to assign Lancaster Creek as the official name for an unnamed stream, based on: - the proposer not providing adequate rationale or compelling reasons to name the stream, notwithstanding support from some tramping clubs, DOC, and LandSAR, - the NZGB’s draft Standard for New Zealand place names discouraging honouring a person with more than one place name, and - the stream being a minor feature that does not warrant naming. and Recommendation 2 Accept a new proposal to assign the existing recorded name Lancaster as official, based on: - no generic term being required to identify the feature, which has been in long term use (at least 80 years) without one, and is consistent with similar peak names in the area without a generic term, notwithstanding the name was first applied as ‘Mount Lancaster’, and - support or no concerns for the name from several tramping clubs, LandSAR, RCCNZ, and DOC, notwithstanding that this was for ‘Mount Lancaster’, - the NZGB’s archives recording that the Honorary Geographic Board approved the name in 1935 without a generic term, and Notify as a proposal to assign for one month. Options – the NZGB did not agree to these recommendations Option 3 Accept the proposal to assign Lancaster Creek as the official name for an (replaces unnamed stream, based on: recommendation 1) support or no concerns for the name from several tramping clubs, LandSAR and DOC, naming the feature potentially being valuable for identification to recreational users and emergency services, noting it is immediately adjacent to Te Araroa trail and other trails and huts are nearby, being consistent with other grouped mountain and creek names nearby, eg Thompson and Thompson Creek, notwithstanding honouring a person with more than one place name being considered unacceptable, and Notify as a proposal to assign for one month, Option 4 Approve the existing recorded name Lancaster as official based on: (replaces no known alternative recorded name for the feature, recommendation 2) the NZGB being of the opinion that public objection is unlikely, no generic term being required to identify the feature, which has been in long term use (at least 80 years) without one, and is consistent with 3 NZMS 57 – Tararua Mountain System NZGB hui 18 October 2019 Page 2 of 7 Linzone ID: A3785949 similar peak names in the area without a generic term, notwithstanding the name was first applied as ‘Mount Lancaster’, support or no concerns for the name from several tramping clubs, LandSAR, RCCNZ, and DOC, notwithstanding that this was for ‘Mount Lancaster’, and the NZGB’s archives recording that the Honorary Geographic Board approved the name in 1935 without a generic term, and Notify in terms of section 24 NZGB Act 2008 Option 5 Accept a new proposal to alter the existing recorded name Lancaster to an (replaces official name Mount Lancaster based on: recommendation 2) the name originally being applied as Mount Lancaster in 1909, long term use of the existing recorded name (80 years), notwithstanding that is was without a generic term, adding an appropriate generic term being encouraged by the NZGB’s draft Generic Terms Policy, support or no concerns for the name from several tramping clubs, LandSAR, RCCNZ, and DOC, and Notify as a proposal to assign for one month. Secretariat assessment and advice The proposal The proposer seeks to: - assign Lancaster Creek as the official name of a small unnamed stream flowing from Lancaster (proposed as Mount Lancaster) into Park River, in Tararua Range. The proposer considers that it is appropriate to name the stream because there are other stream names associated with peak names in Tararua Range, - alter Lancaster (peak, unofficial recorded) to Mount Lancaster. The proposer seeks to add the generic term ‘Mount’ based on the NZGB’s policies on using generic terms. The proposals honour the proposer’s great-grandfather Ernest Samuel Lancaster (1867-1940), a Levin farmer and founding member and first president of the Levin-Waiopehu Tramping Club. In 1909, with George Leslie Adkin4, he made the first documented Tararua Range crossing from Levin to Masterton. The proposer has provided supporting evidence including a family history with a biography, and the response to an initial enquiry to the NZGB in 2016. Being a personal name the proposer has provided documentary evidence of the spelling (photo of the grave of Ernest Lancaster). The proposer advises ten other descendants support the proposal. The proposer has consulted extensively with tramping clubs around the Tararua Range, DOC who administers Tararua Forest Park, RCCNZ, and LandSAR. They either support the proposal, advised no concerns, or have not objected. The list is tabled below under the ‘Consultation with others’ heading below. On the advice of Te Puni Kōkiri the proposer wrote to four iwi groups, but did not receive any responses other than one acknowledgement. 4 Anthony Dreaver. 'Adkin, George Leslie', D ctionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1998. Te Ara - the Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4a3/adkin-george-leslie (accessed 10 September 2019) NZGB hui 18 October 2019 Page 3 of 7 Linzone ID: A3785949 Names shown on No name for the stream was noted on survey plans and maps. plans and maps The peak is named Kelliher on two versions of an early sketch map. The peak is consistently named Lancaster on authoritative government maps, with Kelliher being the name of a peak 4.8km southwest of Lancaster. See the ‘Research, history and references to the feature’ heading below. Plan/map Date Name (for peak) Plan of part of the Tararua Ranges 1911 Unnamed Tararua Range (1), (2) 1924 Kelliher NZMS 55 Girdlestones Track 1924 Not named/not depicted NZMS 57 Tararua Mountain 1936-1972 Lancaster [on 1st ed] st th System 1 - 5 eds. LANCASTER [2nd - 5th eds.] NZMS 1 N157 1st - 5th eds. 1942-1979 Lancaster http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/d 1958 LANCASTER elivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dp s pid=IE17506676 NZMS 260 R25-S25 1st ed to 3rd 1995-2002 Lancaster ed NZTopo50-BN34 v.1-06 2019 Lancaster Location and Both features are in Tararua Forest Park, Tararua Range, approximately extent of the 19km southeast of Levin and approximately 28km northwest of Masterton. feature The proposed Lancaster Creek is a small, steep, stream flowing north from Lancaster (proposed as Mount Lancaster) for approximately 800m into Park River. NZTopo50-BN34 050849 to BN34 047856. At 1504m, Lancaster is the 13th highest mountain/peak in Tararua Range named on LINZ NZTopo50 maps. Lancaster is 30-70m higher than several other named summits in the immediate area, other than Arete which is 1m higher and Bannister which is 33m higher. Generic terms and In New Zealand the generic ‘Creek’ is used for any type of waterway, often geographic feature for small streams. The original definition is for tidal/esturine features.5 types ‘Creek’ is used for many similar sized streams in Tararua Range, whether or not they are officially named. Noting the NZGB’s draft Generic Terms Policy, the NZGB may consider that adding a generic term ‘Mount’ to Lancaster is unnecessary based on consistency with other peaks that do not have generics and long term use.