New Zealand flag debate and the New Zealand Tourism Board in 1998, and ex-Prime Minister John Key in 2010. Key later changed his preference to Kyle Lockwood's "Silver Fern (Red, White & Blue)" design, due to the similarity of the silver fern flag with the Jihadist black flag, used by Islamic extremist groups such as ISIL. Amongst the public, polls have shown that the silver fern is the most preferred alternative design for a new national flag. However, the New Zealand Flag Institute criticises the black and white silver fern design as the logo of some of New Zealand's sporting teams rather than the
United Tribes of New Zealand to soldiers who served in the South African War (1899–1902). In July 2009 it was proposed as one of four possible designs for an official Māori flag at a series of hui around New Zealand. The flag is also occasionally encountered with black or white fimbriation and six-pointed stars. As stated in E.M.C. Barraclough's book "Flags of the World" (), The Shaw, Savill & Albion Line used this flag (though with white fimbriation instead of black and a proportions change from 1:2 to 3:5) as its company flag during its existence from 1882 to 1974. United Tribes of New Zealand