THE RIDGEWAY DRIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 236, 5 October 1936, Page 6

THE RIDGEWAY DRIVE.

SUGGESTIONS FOR ITS NAME. (To the Editor.) In view of the tardiness of the City Council in finding a name for Tamalti Drive, and the fact that the public were compelled to coin the term "waterfront road" in the interval, and observing that the latter term is still the common usage, without much likelihood of change, one feels that immediate action in the naming of the new Waitakere roadway is indicated. I therefore submit the following suggestions for the consideration of your readers: "Whitikapua"—"passing across the clouds." "Onekura" —"red earth," prominent in the cuttings. "Araturua" —"beautiful road," or "beautiful pathway." (This in the sense that - a jewel might be beautiful.) "Whitikeo" —"passes across the peaks." "Ekerangi" —"to place oneself, to embark, to climb or to rise (in the manner ofa star) to or upon the skies." "Arapurehu"—"pathway through the mist." The name implies a hazy indistinctness such as would be the appearance of the crests on mo'-vt days. "Maungawahi" —"cleft mountains." My concluding suggestion is that, as Maori names are such outstanding features of our national individuality, we might well adhere to their use. On the other hand, such names as "Ridge Road" and "Coronation Drive" are, apart from being deplorably commonplace and obvious, hackneyed,. unromantic and colourless, harmonising with nothing in the mountains, excepting sight-seeing charabancs. FRANK E. HUNTER.