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Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 194, 11 May 1908, Page 8

A' correspondent writes to the jtfanawatfl. ' signing ihimeelf " Telscotry," as 6 follows:'—lt has often, been wondered how, •" our ancient river came to be, named .tho."Manawatu." .1 will, explain , for. the';sh-v lig'nterimcnt of the ignorant. Maiiy'years V ago, ■ when.)member .Jack -Stevens was in - s swaddling, clctlics —and you may . guess , that • wasn't ..yesterday—there • was a "great ■ gather* .- ihg of Maori chiefs from the ! cities of, Motii-.- ; iti,'..Piirata\vhia,-and Awahou,' at a spot now ■ known.as the Sanatorium. The leading-chiefs were holding a grtat korero. ? The subject'-,of'.' discussion was the naming of our ancient river. Thousands of dusky-warriors cncircled * the orators.- Riding at,anchor, over-the'bar, , lay . a British rnan-o'-war, and a couple of -whaling craft. The mei\of the sea observed the gathering, and wero anxious' to. ascertain ' the cause,- so they, came; ashore: ' They. wefo_; awe-struck at'tho,sight,'/thqir : wondering : o'p-* i-. tics-bulged forth as theywatched, the graced - ful' movements of the rangatira ; speaker, but thoy, could not interpret any .meaning.'-' Jock, ' a Scotch bhiejatfket engineer, quothtoSSndy;, '- "Man,' I ani ftwa " liich, interpreted-into the vulgan means, " I am.'away. J.V'Saindy . replied with an-air. or disgust:' " Man,"L araawa; too! " Then up sprang .the .'great Motuiti chief, Apirama,. ancf exclaimed: "Kapail ■ ICapai!Ma-na-wa-rtn.."' Ma-na-wa- - The cry was taken up by a dusky, warriors, and tlio earth snook beneath them as both feet came to the ground as tlio word was pronounced. A great feast followed, and Jock was honoured with the order of the "Kotten Shark," and Sandy -, that of " Eel's Tooth." Thus it was that our river " receivod its name! Panama is the placo for Mr.' Roosevelt (on tlio expiry of his term of oflico). Tho, isthmus ' is tlio field for'strenuosity.. .Let him take-hold down there, and hurry the canal to completion.—"Star," Washington.... V . ' . V .