Northland Culmination Of Years Of Effort

Northern Advocate, 29 July 1949, Page 4

Northlan d Culmination Of Years Of Effort

“THE reaction by the Northland Associated Chambers of Commerce and affiliations is naturally one of complete satisfaction.” said the secretary (Mr J- ft. Mcliraith) this morning. He was commenting on recognition of the name Northland, a recognition which the chambers had pressed hard to obtain. “This may be classed as the culmination of the efforts of many public and semi-public citizens over a long period, extending back to 1937, when Mr E. L. Whimp and the late Mr IT. W. Crawford did all the original spade work,” he said. Mr Mcliraith said that the whole of Northland was covered and resolutions bearing the seal of the organisations concerned were recorded by many organisatins. These were:

The Dargaville and Whangarei Borough Councils. Bay of Islands, Whangaroa, Whangarei, Hobson, Mangonui and Otamatea County Councils, the Kohukohu, Russell. Rawene. Kawakawa. Onerahi, Hikurangi, Kaikohe and Kamo Town Boards. Awanui. Bay oflslands. Hokianga. Mangawai. Mangonui. Whangarei. Whangaroa Harbour Boards, the Bay of Islands. Hokianga. Mangonui and Whangarei Hospital Boards, the Dargaville. Hokianga. Kaikohe, Okaihau. Whangarei and Associated Chambers of Commerce, the Whangarei High School Board of. Governors. combined school committees, A. and P. Society. Watersiders’ Union, and the Empire" Ex-Servicemen’s Association. the Mangonui and Hukerenui A. and P. Societies. Onerahi Parent-Teachers’ Associaton, and school committee, the Bay of Islands Industrial Association. Power Board Waterside Union. North Auckland Power Board, the Northland Federation of Acclimatisation Societies, the Umawera Settlers Association, the Northland District Pig Council, the Bay of Islands Dairy Co., the Northland Bowlinv Association, the North Auckland Forest Society and the Raupo Drainage Board. USE NEW NAME “All these organisations made representations to have fhe status and name of North Auckland transferred to that of Northland," Mr Mcliraith said. “This has been relentlessly pursued by the various organisations over the years from 1937. "During the past few years it has been the policy of the Northland Associated Chambers of Commerce to mould public opinion by the encouragement of the usage of the name Northland. "Now that the actual object has been achieved, in the interests of Northland it becomes the responsibility of all businessmen and public citizens to further the interests of Northland by, wherever practical, replacing the name North Auckland by the term Northland,” Mr Mcliraith concluded. Mr E. L. Whimp. co-originator of the move to have the name Northland recognised, expressed satisfaction that it had at last been accomplished. His only regret wgs that Mr H. W. Crawford could not have lived to see the results of his tireless efforts in support of the proposal. “I hope that everybody will use the name Northland in preference to North Auckland —which today does not exist," he added. BENEFIT GREATLY “I think Northland will benefit greatly now that it has a proper identity—it suffered a lot by being called North Auckland,” said the president of the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce (Mr K. Haslett). "People looked upon Northland as a part, of Auckland, just as most of us think of Banks Peninsular as an off-shoo't of Christchurch,” he said. “The recognition of the name is the culminatiorf of a lot of effort by a lot of people.”

"In the past it has been amazing to find how little people of the south knew of the territory north of Auckland," commented the Mayor of Kaikohe (Mr H. F. Guy) in expressing gratification at official recognition of “Northland.”

He believed that this ignorance was because the term “North Auckland” did not convey any idea of the vast area of land to the north of the city.

Many people had believed that New Zealand stopped at Auckland and that "North Auckland” was merely a suburb of the city. Use of the name "Northland" would be a great advantage and would give distinct identity as “Southland” instead of “South Otago” separated that province from Otago. After so many years of battling for recognition it was gratifying that “Northland” had now been officially recognised. PRIDE IN ACHIEVEMENT With their area recognised as a sep-, arate identity, Northlanders could take pride in this achievement, said the president of the Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce (Mr R. C. Williams), who is also a senior member of the Kaitaia Borough Council. It would be the cause of particular pride to the chambers of commerce, whose continued representations had not been in vain. The establishment of Whangarei as the logical Northland centre would do much to remove the sense of isolation, hitherto only too real in the minds of many Far North residents. ONLY ONE OBJECTION The National Geographic Board received only one objection after it had announced its endorsement of the name “Northland," says our Wellington correspondent. The objection came from one individual. The final decision had to await another meeting of the Geographic Board and it recently decided to adhere to its original decision. The legislation sets out the procedure that if any objections to changed place names are dealt with by the board its final decision must go to the Minister of Lands for his endorsement or otherwise.