Fear Of Confusion Sparks Name Rethink For Manutahi Park

Tuesday, 10 June 2025, 8:01 pm
Article: Craig Ashworth - Local Democracy Reporting

Worries about a new Manutahi Park being mistaken for another Manutahi an hour's drive away has New Plymouth's council considering adding the name of a British Military Settler.

The park is a planned green space in Lepperton village, about 15km from New Plymouth, on the site of a hall demolished three years ago.

New Plymouth District Council asked mana whenua about a name for the park, and Manutahi was suggested by Puketapu hapū.

Manutahi remembers the name of the Māori village where Lepperton now stands, as well as nearby Manutahi Pā which was built to defend against British invasion in the Taranaki Wars.

The name - literally One Bird - references local bird-hunting forests and is supported by neighbouring Pukerangiora hapū.

Manutahi is already widely familiar: it's the name of one of the two country roads intersecting in the village.

But a council report said consultation found some locals worried that people would confuse the new park's location with an even smaller hamlet - also called Manutahi - 80 kilometres away between Hāwera and Pātea.

"Generally, those who did not support the name felt that [Manutahi Park] did not reflect the Lepperton location and non-locals will not know where it is," staff reported.

"The name 'Manutahi Park - Lepperton' is proposed to address this potential confusion."

Although, perhaps confusingly, not necessarily as the official name.

"The addition of Lepperton ... could either be a formally recognised part of the name or a component that is put in place as required to confirm the location, as opposed to formally recognised as part of the park name."

Council policy is that reserves' names reflect history.

"If there is a strong Māori cultural connection to a reserve, a Māori name should be considered in consultation with mana whenua.

"Likewise, a strong European cultural connection to a reserve should result in an appropriate European name.

"Where appropriate, both Māori and European names will be used."

The report recognised the name might be disputed.

"There is a risk that adding the location descriptor of Lepperton to the name could be seen as not needed by hapū and/or some of the community that were supportive of the proposed name."

Lieutenant Colonel Maxwell Lepper was a British soldier with the 14th Regiment, redeployed from colonial duties in Ireland to fight Taranaki Māori in 1860.

Retiring from the Empire's army, Lepper then commanded the Taranaki Military Settlers - volunteer troops who were rewarded with land taken from Māori in return for 'policing duties'.

In 1865 the area was proclaimed confiscated and Manutahi declared a military settlement.

Lepper was honoured with the town's name and the family thrived on that confiscated land, with many descendants also recognised on Lepperton's war memorial obelisk and as contributors to Lepperton School.

Locals who spoke with Local Democracy Reporting said they were not confused about Manutahi.

Out with the grandkids, Lindy Moratti said she didn't even know where the other Manutahi is.

"I cannot see any issue with it, I would not think that would be a problem at all.

"To me it's very, very clear and very obvious that it would be here."

Speedway driver Sean Price didn't think Manutahi alone would confuse people, but was happy either way.

"I'm on the fence really," he said.

"Definitely you know where it is, if you say Lepperton - I mean, that confirms it. Lepperton would be bang on."

Dave Trinder was delivering taonga pūoro, traditional musical instruments, to Lepperton School for a practice session with students.

He deferred to hapū leaders with more knowledge, but neither he nor the kids helping with the taonga had any confusion about Manutahi.

The naming decision goes before NPDC's iwi committee Te Huinga Taumatua on Tuesday.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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