TANGAHOE RIVER

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 2 October 1933, Page 7

TANGAHOE RIVER

USE OF CORRECT NAME

VIEWS OF COUNTY CLERK

An assurance that every endeavour would be made to encourage the use of Tangahoe instead of the incorrect Tongalioe, to denote the name of the river south of Hawera, was given by the Hawera county clerk (Mr. J. V'. •I. Harding), when interviewed by a “Hawera Star” reporter this morning. Mr. Harding said that the mis-spelt but more familiar word “Tongalioe” evidently had become accepted by the people of South Taranaki at least through common usage. He produced survey maps of the district and plan of the proposed deviation, however, which showed plainly the use of the word in its correct form—Tangahoe. “In official correspondence between the Public Works Department and myself Tangahoe has always been used,” said Mr Harding. “It is evident that Tongalioe is a word of local application only and I understand that there is at the present time a South Taranaki Automobile Association sign on the Tangahoe bridge giving the name of the river and the bridge as Tongalioe.’’ Mr. Harding remarked that the public, through the instrumentality of All*. John Houston in his recent writings in the “Hawera Star” on the subject, should now be sufficiently acquainted with the word to use it correctly. From inquiries it is ascertained that Tongahoe lias no meaning whatever in the Maori language, whereas' Tangahoe is the name which Turi of tliAotea canoe is believed to have given to the river in remembrance* of his puddle. The name Pokomoko, given to the gorge between AYhakamara and Mereme. is another Mhori-sounding name which has no meaning in the Maori language In its correct form Pokomoko should be Puke-moko.