NATIVE NAMES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18601, 28 January 1926, Page 7

NATIVE NAMES.

AUSTRALIAN MOVEMENT. \ (FROM OUB OWN COBEXSPONDENT.) SYDNEY, January 14. A movement in Sydney for the application of native names to our flowers and birds has opened .the door to quite an interesting controversy in the columns of the Press. Those who oppose the idea contend that it is impossible of successful application because of the dialects among the Australian tribes, who have not one common language like the Maoris. This has been met by the'answer- that there are dialects in England and in Scotland,' for example, but that that has not prevented one name, where neee.ssary, from becoming universal. The idea is to try to give a universal native-name, and one, of course, not without euphony, to an Australian, birdor flower where there are now many local names each unknown in other localities. The aim, broadly, is to do what writers and poets have done for their own countries, i.e., to give expression to our own individuality by applying in this case the most suitable and musical native names to our flowers and birds. Even scientists have entered the controversial lists, in opposition to the idea, but they have been politely reminded that Science can be left to choose her own language for her own work, without meddling in this movement.