One k’ in Kinloch, please
New signs are coming to Kinloch, after sign-makers misspelt the town’s name.
The $2500 signs went up in the first week of December when a new local speed limit was introduced. However, Kinloch was spelt ‘‘Kinlock’’ on both signs.
Kinloch derives from the Scottish Gaelic ‘‘Ceann Loch’’, meaning ‘‘head of the lake’’.
Denis Lewis, Taupo¯ District Council’s infrastructure manager, said the spelling mistake was picked up immediately.
‘‘An adhesive [h] letter was placed over the incorrect letter as a shortterm fix until a new sign could be manufactured,’’ he said. ‘‘On January 1, we were made aware that the letter had come off.’’
Tape was placed over the whole word on January 3, but someone removed it in the following days.
Council chief executive Gareth Green said when the contractor was given the correct spelling when council ordered the sign.
‘‘Somewhere between that and the sign being manufactured, someone has made the mistake – either our contractor, or the sign manufacturer.
‘‘As such, the costs of putting this right will be completely covered by the contractor, and not be at ratepayers’ expense.’’ Home to around 500 people, Kinloch is situated on a north-western shore of Lake Taupo¯ .
spoke with Kinloch residents and holiday-makers about the sign.
The Tipsy Trout’s Sharon Hall said the sign should have been replaced straight away.
‘‘How many thousands of holidaymakers will have seen it? We’re out of the way and it’s like, we don’t matter. I think it stinks of a certain kind of ignorance. There’s not been any urgency,’’ she said.
Wellington man Jack Anderson said he had not noticed the sign, but he thought it needed to be replaced.
‘‘Kinloch is an iconic location and you’d want to make sure it’s spelt right. You’d have to put it down to someone having a bad day.’’
Carla, who declined to give her last name, said she couldn’t understand why it was a big deal.
‘‘I live in London and it’s nice that this is considered newsworthy. Back home it’s all negative and about Brexit.’’ Lewis said a new sign was ordered on Monday, and should be installed next week sometime.