RECORD OF PLACE NAMES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 155, 25 March 1908, Page 8

RECORD OF PLACE NAMES.

, A TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. ; ~[BJT TELEGRAPH.—--SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] , • ' Christohiirch, March 24; •For many has been recognised that: a topographical dictionary of New Zealand' should be_prepared as a, record of all the Maori and European place names, which liavo such historical associations as. to make them a •matter of interest. For some tinio past, Mr. H. G. Ell, M.P., has been urging on the ..Government the advisableness' of undertaking such a work, and he recently; j saw the Hon. R. M'Nab on tho subject! emphasising-the point that thoso from -whom the information could be obtained were lessening in number' day by day. The Minister urged him to communicate with the' Premier; who had already agreed to have a similar work done in tho North Island.

: Two years ago, sajrs tho. " Times," Mr. Ell mentioned his project to Mr. J. C. Andersen, of Christchurch, who has taken a' keen interest in : Maori lore and the historical .associations, particularly of Canterbury, and Mr.''Andersen has',now undertaken the compilation of; a topographical dictionary of Canterbury, for which ho has already secured a. great deal of material.. The work, howover; will be one of considerable-magni-tude, for it involves/the perusal of almost every publication, including newspapers, that might throw light'on the subject.' Already ■many of the sources of information aro lost, and it is tho knowledge that tho compilation will become infinitely more difficult every year that has' urged Mr. Andersen to the undertaking. . .'