Emanu Street:

Emano Street. This street runs from Toi-toi Street near St. Vincent Street and finishes halfway up the hillside although in the early maps optimistic surveyors planned it to reach Britannia Heights.

The name is thought to be derived from Manu, a Maori chief who received compensation for land from Wakefield in 1842, but the first letter in his name is now held to be wrong. We see many such names in early documents—Epuna, Etako, Epiko, but the initial -e was put in because of a misunderstanding or possibly it represented Te. Nowadays the names are written Manu, Piko, as Piko Street.

Spelling in the early copies of the Examiner seems to be rather peculiar at times—besides the Maori names given in the Street Lists, there were others such as: Wairoo, Wauka-pa-wauka, Okititki, Wicato, but even names like poney, Gypsey, Woodhouse, Wodehouse, sweeds, warries, Cabool, and even goal for gaol occurred. Perhaps the settlers weren't so particular about spelling as we are.