PLACE-NAMES IN NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12571, 14 August 1906, Page 6

PLACE-NAMES IN NEW ZEALAND

The "New Zealand Times," in protesting against the decision of tho Wellington, City Council to change tho name of Mitchelltown to "Glen-tui." raises a point of some little importance to New Zealanders who aro proud of their country. There may not be anything particularly dignified or euphonious about Mitchelltown. and wo are not surprised that the residents demand an alteration. But there is no justification at all for giving it a title, compounded l of Scotch and Maori, as is the case with Glen-tui. The precedent afforded by Glen-iti, Glen*omaru, and Glcn-oroua, is sufficiently appalling to be taken as a warning, rather than quoted as an excuse. These names form, fortunately, a very small section, in the various classes into which the majority of placenames fall. Investigation of this interesting by-path of colonial history shows that thero is first the native name of a place, often barbarised by British interpretation, but still, even in the uncouth shape to which it may thus be reduced, indicating its Maori origin, and denoting to those who know its moaning, some characteristic of the place which the process of settlement may have destroyed. Of such names Kaituna and Waikuku are local examples. Then there are the names formally given to places by the associations which settled them, such as Christchurch and Lyttelton, and following these very closely in point of time, the names applied to places on account of some natural or physical peculiarity that distinguished them. These are really the simplest form of nomenclature, corresponding to the old Saxon custom of calling men by names signifying some distinctive personal feature, or their trade. Among such place-names arc' Long Bay, Saltwater Creek, Double Hill, Fern Flat, Pigeon Valley. Allied to these and historically of great interest, are the names applied by Captain Cook to various spots—Endeavour Inlet, Cape Turnagain, Bay—and those connected with the early exploring expeditions—the Solanders, Banks Peninsula, Cape Maria van Dieman, the Acheron River, and so forth. Following, we com© to a class—characteristic of all young countries—places named directly after tho early settlers. The West Coast is full" of such spots, many of them little mining camps, and there are a good number in Canterbury. In some cases we have tho man's name in its original form, such as Ladbrook's, Robinson's Bay, Jollies Pass; in others it is eked out with "ville" or "ton." These are frequently objectionable. Custom has mado us. used to Doyleston, but imagine anyone seriously dubbing a place Josephville or Crushington, both of which aro to be

found in this island. Some, however, of the names bestowed by the old settlers aro remarkably appropriate, others recall their native countryside at Home, or, as in the case of some of tho South Canterbury mountains and streams, which owe their titles to Mr Rolleston, their readings in the classics. Explorers have exercised their prescriptive right to name tho peaks and passes they have discovered after themselves, or any great, explorers or distinguished men they may desire to honour. Lastly, w© com© to the names deliberately chosen and tacked on to new districts and settlements, and here, unless ecmo Maori name is chosen, ono finds the worst cases of bad taste. What can w© say of a Department that in cold blood decides that a settlement shall be known as "Mills," or "Duncan," or "Steward," or even, w© must add, "Seddon" or "Ward"? There is nothing euphonious in such titles, and, except in one or two cases, the original bearers of thorn have dono nothing to deserve the immortality thus conferred upon them. People who legislate about a name, should, as our Wellington contemporary remarks, bo careful, for "it " is about the only thing that pome of "them will hand down to posterity." We nust hope, therefore, that the practice of naming places after Ministers or their connections will cease, in time to prevent tho country being saddled with a MeNab hamlet or a Fowids settlement.