Hamilton council or Kirikiriroa

Hamilton City Council might be getting a new name.

Mayor Andrew King is testing the waters with Kirikiriroa City Council – a name he said reflects stronger links with iwi.

Councillors will decide if the name change goes any further at a council meeting on Thursday, with a vote on whether staff should look into what’s involved in making the transition.

The Hamilton City Council logo has Kirikiriroa under it in small print, King said.

‘‘What I’m looking at is moving the ‘Kirikiriroa’ into a place of prominence. I’m trying to promote closer relationships with iwi and I think this is sending a strong signal.’’

Nga¯ ti Wairere spokesman Wiremu Puke said that Hamilton was named after a man who never set foot there. ‘‘Captain Hamilton never came here … The city was actually named after a military officer killed in Tauranga.’’

Early Pa¯keha¯ settlers would have known the Hamilton area as Kirikiriroa, Puke said.

Members of his hapu¯ are guardians of the name, which means a long stretch of gravel.

It might be hard to change 150 years of using the name Hamilton, Puke said, but he thought it could be a chance to re-examine Hamilton’s identity.

His proviso was that iwi should be consulted and able to share the significance of adopting the Kirikiriroa name.