AUSTRALASIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3000, 10 February 1917, Page 15

AUSTRALASIA

. (To tho Editor.) • Sir, —To a largo portion of Great Britain's population, and that of other countries in tho Northern Hemisphere tho word "Australasia" means Australia, which you will recognise is a great handicap to tho commercial development of-this country.. _ The Government has spent, and is prepared to spend, largo sums of monoy furthering tho commercial interests of this country, as well as endeavouring to attraot tourists and colonists to our. shores. Much of this effort is for nought, so long as our identity as a country is wrapped up in that of Australia. . I would liken "the position to that of a trader trying to establish himself in business, and at the same timo being obliged to trade under tho name' of a competitor. . Tho position, to say .the least is ludicrous,; and should be altered without delay. -It seems to. mo that right now is the timo to do it, as in the near futuro there will bo such an alteration to. maps, documents, otc., that all at present existing-'will be obsolete. Tho chango : could bo effected by. abolishing tho term "Australasia" from tho English vocabulary, and making it illegal to use the-word in any way whatever. If a general term is needed to rofer generally to this quarter of tho globe no exception could bo takon to • "Oceania." Then no country will be trading at a disadvantage. ■ i . Tho question is ono that all chambers of commerce should tako up, and if found desirable, give immediate effect to it, while our chief representatives are in England.—l am, etc., THOS. MONT AVERY. New Plymouth.