- New Zealand Geographic Board
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"NZGB" redirects here. For the airport ICAO code NZGB, see Great Barrier Aerodrome.
New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa Agency overview Jurisdiction New Zealand Headquarters Lambton House, 160 Lambton Quay, Wellington
41°16′53″S 174°46′33″E / 41.281299°S 174.775862°EMinister responsible Maurice Williamson , Minister for Land Information Parent agency Land Information New Zealand Website http://www.linz.govt.nz/placenames/about-geographic-board/index.aspx The New Zealand Geographic Board (NZGB) (Māori: Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) is constituted under the New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008,[1] formerly under the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 1946. Although an independent institution, it is responsible to the Minister for Land Information. It has responsibility for geographical and hydrographic names within New Zealand and its territorial waters [2]. This includes naming small urban settlements, localities, mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, harbours and natural features and may include researching local Māori names. In the Ross Sea region of Antarctica it has named many geographical features. It has no authority to alter street names, a local body responsibility, or the name of any country.
Much of the controversy about the work of the NZGB derives from the movement to revert placenames to their pre-European forms, written in contemporary orthography with standardised spelling, macrons, etc.[3] The NZGB has authority over official placenames only, and most placenames, including most towns and cites, ports and bodies of water have not been mentioned in legislation or validated by treaties, and so are not official. One of the largest sources of official placenames is Treaty of Waitangi settlements, which frequently rename places (particularly uninhabited places) and commonly introduce names with macrons, until recently absent from placenames.
In 2008 the members are:
- Dr Don Grant, Surveyor-General/Chair
- Sylvia Allan
- David Barnes
- Dr Kay Booth
- Dr Apirana Mahuika
- Dr Wharehuia Milroy
- Dr Sir Tipene O'Regan
- Professor Michael Roche
References
- ^ http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2008/0030/latest/DLM1065412.html
- ^ www.linz.govt.nz
- ^ "Fight to keep 'h' out of Wanganui not over". Television New Zealand. NZPA. 30 March 2009. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/fight-keep-h-wanganui-not-over-2598339. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
Categories:- New Zealand stubs
- Government of New Zealand
- 1946 in law
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