SUGGESTED ALTERATION IN PLACE NAMES

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20957, 11 September 1933, Page 18

SUGGESTED ALTERATION IN PLACE NAMES

PROPOSALS OF GEOGRAPHIC BOARD (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELBOBAM.) WELUNGTON, September 9. One of the proposals made by the New Zealand Geographic Board in a publication at present being prepared is the elimination of the possessive "s" from all place names. It is stated that steps have been taken in this direction in the past, and some of the changes have been generally adopted. An effort was made to get Arthur's Pass in the Canterbury province altered to Arthur Pass, but local prejudice was too strong, and the possessive "s" still remains. ~-,.,*• A member of the board said that in nearly all cases- the possessive "s" was unnecessary: the pass did not belong to Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson, but was named after him. There were exceptions, to the dropping of the apostrophe or final "s." In the case of Banks Peninsula the man after whom , the peninsula was named was , Banks not Bank. The "Devil's Elbow" or "Devil's Punch Bowl" are instances where the possessive" "s" still remains, as such names are descriptive. Another interesting subject which is being, dealt with, in the new publication is the pronunciation of Maori names, in which not only the correct pronunciation is set out clearly but incorrect pronunciations are set out also. It is hoped to complete the ■wriuscript in the next two months. It will; possibly be published with the Juarterly issue of the "Polynesian ournal."