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A Whanganui Māori leader says it may take a generation but eventually everyone will spell the city's name correctly.
The Geographic Board is gazetting that Whanganui can be spelt with or without an H, and Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says government agencies will adopt the H spelling immediately on electronic databases and when signage or stationery is renewed.
Te Runanga ō Tupoho Chair Ken Mair says while some in the local council and newspaper are continuing to resist the change, once it appears on maps and street signs people will change.
"So when the road signs go up for example, it won't have two names, and it will just have our name spelt correctly. People will see that and it might take a generation at the longest but we're very pleased and we're optimistic for the future with regard to people understanding that this is about the integrity and the respect for spelling someone's name correctly," Mr Mair says.
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