New Zealand Geographic Board

"NZGB" redirects here. For the airport ICAO code NZGB, see Great Barrier Aerodrome.
For the magazine, see New Zealand Geographic.

New Zealand Geographic Board
Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa
Agency overview
Formed1946; 78 years ago (1946)
Preceding agency
  • Honorary Geographic Board of New Zealand[1]
JurisdictionNew Zealand
HeadquartersRadio New Zealand House, 155 The Terrace, Wellington
41°17′06″S 174°46′28″E / 41.28500°S 174.77444°E / -41.28500; 174.77444
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Anselm Haanen, Chairperson
Parent agencyToitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB) is the authority over geographical and hydrographic names within New Zealand and its territorial waters.[2] This includes the naming of small urban settlements, localities, mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, harbours and natural features and may include researching local Māori names. It has named many geographical features in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. It has no authority to alter street names (a local body responsibility) or the name of any country.[3]

The board was established by the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 1946, which has since been replaced by the New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008.[4] Although an independent institution, it is responsible to the Minister for Land Information.

The NZGB secretariat is part of Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and provides the board with administrative and research assistance and advice.[5]

The New Zealand Geographic Board succeeded an honorary Geographical Advisory Board that had been set up in 1924[6] under the direction of the Minister of Land.[7] That board had seven members, including Herbert Williams, Elsdon Best and Johannes C. Andersen.[8]

  1. ^ "History of the NZGB". Land Information New Zealand. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  2. ^ "About the New Zealand Geographic Board". Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  3. ^ Lorna Thornber (17 September 2020). "Is it time to restore all of New Zealand's Māori place names?". Stuff. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021. While the board has received at least one enquiry about the country's name almost every year for the past decade, it does not have the power to change it: That would require an act of Parliament.
  4. ^ "New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008: Reprint as at 1 July 2014". New Zealand Legislation. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference members was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Geographic Board: Legislative authority". Otago Daily Times. 19 July 1946. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2020 – via paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  7. ^ "Maori place names: Spelling and nomenclature". Auckland Star. 2 June 1925. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2020 – via paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  8. ^ "Foundation Members of the N.Z. Geographic Advisory Board, founded in 1924. The names are (sitting): Mr. W. T. Neill, late Surveyor-General of N.Z. and representative for N.Z. of the Royal Geographical Society, London; The Venerable Archdeacon Herbert Williams (Gisborne); and Mr. Elsdon Best, F.N.Z.I., ethnologist; (Standing): Mr. Louis E. Ward, clerk-draughtsman. Lands and Survey Department (Hon. Sec.); Sir Frederick Chapman (Knight Bachelor); Mr. Johannes C. Andersen, F.N.Z.I. (Alexander Turnbull Library); and Mr. Maurice Crompton-Smith (Secretary to the Surveyors' Board)". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2020.