The New Zealand Geographic Board has confirmed the spelling of Tokomairiro will be officially changed to Tokomairaro in order to accurately reflect the true meaning of the Maori word.
The proposal to change the spelling of three branches of the Tokomairiro River near Milton, announced at the end of last year, has been approved by Land Information Minister Louise Upston.
New Zealand Geographic Board secretary Wendy Shaw said the board received four objections to the proposal. However, these were rejected as the reasons given did not outweigh the board's function to correct the spelling of place names.
It also served a function to encourage the use of original and correct Maori place names on official charts and maps.
The "Tokomairaro'' spelling appeared in historical documents and was used to describe the method of pushing waka, or canoes, along the river with a pole.
But the decision has not been received positively by everyone.
One woman, who did not want to be named, said she and a group of others who attended Tokomairiro High School opposed the change.
While many early documents used both spellings, she believed the "-riro'' spelling was the earliest recorded and therefore correct.
She was "very disappointed'' and believed the change would cause confusion.
Ngai Tahu kaumatua Edward Ellison said the "-raro'' spelling better reflected the original meaning of the word and its association with the area.
"[Tokomairiro] gives a different meaning that doesn't really relate to the river or features.''
Tokomairiro High School principal Glenis Sim said it was fascinating the name had been changed but it would be a while before anything was updated at the school.
