Use of Aotearoa 'insidious’

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 4

Use of Aotearoa 'insidious’

PA Wellington The Returned Services Association has described the increasing use of the word Aotearoa instead of New Zealand as “both insidious and repugnant.”

The R.S.A. has written to the Government wanting reassurance that the country’s name will not be changed from New Zealand to Aotearoa. Last month, the dominion council of the R.S.A. decided to write to the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr Bassett, saying New Zealand should continue as the official name of the country. In a letter to Mr Lange last week, the president, Mr Alan Johnston, said the increasing use of the name Aotearoa, especially in official publications, was causing concern. “This trend, we believe, is precipitating a tendency

amongst certain other individuals and groups to discard the name New Zealand altogether when referring to this country of ours,” Mr Johnston said. “Recognition of Maori culture is one thing but the current trend towards changing the name of our country, which many regard as having the tacit consent of the policy makers, is both insidious and repugnant.” The majority of New Zealanders would be comforted if the Government gave an assurance it was not considering changing the country’s name. It should direct that all official publications and documents be correctly titled.