NZ Man Seeks to Right Mapping Wrongs

George Holmes, a retired public servant in Wellington, New Zealand, is passionate about things being correct, especially maps. According to The New Zealand Herald, he recently submitted his 60th successful case to the Geographic Board to correct wrong spellings of place names throughout country.

Mr. Holmes discovers the misspelled names by meticulously researching old documents. Among the cartographic changes that have come about as a result of Mr. Holmes' work:

• Mt Eggeling - previously Mt Eggelling
• Mt Norriss - previously Mt Norris
• Gros stream - previously Le Gos stream
• Williams Stream - previously William Stream

Despite his successes, there is one big change Mr. Holmes has not been able to convince government authorities to make; changing New Zealand to New Zeeland, after the province in the Netherlands.