A MATTER OF NAMES.

Northern Advocate, 5 August 1924, Page 4

A MATTER OF NAMES.

It is to be regretted, it seems to us, that the Whangarei Borough Council last night did not adopt the suggestion put forward by the Board of Governors of the Whangarei High School that the name of School Lane, which leads from Manse Street to the new High School, should be changed to Lupton Avenue. The members of the Council, of course, share with all the citizens the opinion that it would be a graceful and fitting thing to associate permanently with the municipal nomenclature of the town the name of one of its most highly esteemed citizens, the gentleman who as principal of the High School for 28 years has rendered to the town and district services of incalculable value. But the view taken by the Council is that it would be more fitting to commemorate the name of Mr Lupton in the street lying between the railway and the original High School—a street which will, no doubt, be promoted from its present nondescript status to that of a legitimate thoroughfare. The Council, however, seems to have overlooked the fact that this is already known as Gorrie's Road, and it would ill become the present generation t'o discard a name that perpetuates the memory of a worthy pioneer. Moreover, the name at present attached to the street that gives access to the new High School is not a particularly impressive one. The author of the name of School Lane probably had excellent reasons for his choice, but we venture to suggest that the name really is anything but distinctive in a town that possesses quite a number of schools. If they will think it over again, Mr Holmes and his fellow-members of the Council will, we are sure, appreciate this point, and will also realise that the association of Mr Lupton's name with the approach to the new school would be particularly fitting as a tribute from the citizens. The new school is actually the crowning achievement of his long career. The success of the Whangarei High School under his guidance has been so great and so well sustained that the new buildings on the new site have become essential. In recognition of the part he has played in bringing the school to its present state of development the Council could well adopt the most appropriate name that could be suggested for the street leading to the new school.