PLACE NAMES

Evening Star, Issue 26153, 15 July 1947, Page 4

PLACE NAMES

In Lighter Vein

[By Katiti.] Many districts have ruined their natural attractions by monotonous or unsuitable naming of places. It is nice to reflect that in Otago this is not the case. The names chosen in each ease show conideration for the natural surroundings .are beautiful in sound, and are as varied as the circumstances permit. Take the famous plains just outside Dunedin, the Taieri Plains. What a lovely sound that word Taieri must have been to the early Scottish settlers coming from places with such ugly names as Loch Lomond, Afton Water, Craigleith, the Braes of Doon, and many others. Yes, Taieri must have had its appeal to them. Then the river that flows through these salubrious plains; what better name than “ Taieri (River ”, ? Pitting, simple, and sincere. Farther over to the east we come very naturally to the beautiful little village of East Taieri. And in a geographically guessable direction is North Taieri. Consistent, isn’t it? No doubt in the course of time, as the area becomes more populated, South Taieri and West Taieri will arise.

At the mouth of the river is the flourishing little village of Taieri Mouth —what else could it be? And set in the mouth of the river and projecting therefrom like the gem in a ring is—yes, you.’ve guessed it—Taieri Island. The tendency to call this “Delta Island” must be frowned upon; the official and suitable name is “Taieri Island.” Then, to get away from this district, we go further inland till we come with geometrical exactitude to Upper Taieri River, and in the vicinity is the wellnamed Lake Taieri. The Upper Taieri River flows through another, but smaller, plain—Uppe r Taieri Plains. Beyond Middlemarch again is Strath Taieri, and no doubt a little more research would reveal Taieri Hills, Mount Taieri. Lower Taieri. North, South, East, and West Upper Taieri, Taieri Mine, etc.. In addition are the many Taieri grocery stores butcher shops, petrol station, poultry, football, and knitting clubs. I would like to make a suggestion for the new city it is proposed to build near Wingatui. I trust it won’t be rejected on account of its novelty. My suggestion is, of course, “ Greater Taieri.”