What's wong with Wanganui?

Michael Laws is the one throwing hissy fits now. At a time when the world is losing stuff the mayor of the city is rejecting the New Zealand Geographic Board’s kind offer of an ‘h’. Adding a letter to the city’s name aligns it with the correctly spelt Maori name of the river Whanganui that flows through the city. It is claimed to have been named by the legendary chief Haunui (spelt with an H) who arrived on the Aotea waka over six hundred years ago.

Now I can sympathise with some aspects of Michael's reluctance to change. The name Whanganui means ‘great harbour' and clearly the city can not claim this. But once again is this another example of just how intransigent the brain is to change especially an aging male brain or are there really major problems with undergoing a name change process?

Most women in this country change their names when they marry and it is usually requires more than adding a letter. They seem to cope with it Michael.

The name is not offensive, in fact it could be argued Whanganui is more flattering. I hear some business owners claiming the cost of changing signage and stationery will send them broke. Manage the change folks.

Now Mr Laws has in the past had no end of trouble with some of the local Maori camping on his flower gardens so perhaps he is taking this opportunity to tell them ‘to stick their name in a pipe and smoke it’.

What ever his gripe surely his emotional state is diverting his attention from the city’s 'opportunity of the century'. Most businesses seize on the renaming process as a way of reconnecting with key markets. They usually beat up a real song and dance, proclaiming to the world what a change means.

What an opportunity this could be to put this town on the map, change some old paradigms, focus on what the city has to offer.
Come on Michael, don’t be such an old stick in the river mud. Embrace the change, add value to the city; the promotional opportunities are boundless.

This is something to celebrate. Welcome home your prodigal ‘h’.