RENAMING GREY STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19713, 12 August 1927, Page 10

RENAMING GREY STREET.

The proposal to change the name of Grey Street has rightly met with objection. No sufficient reason has been advanced for the change. There is admittedly nothing wrong with the name. It was applied in honour of one to whom this city's prosperity owes a great deal, and if this name goes he will be left almost unrepresented in Auckland's nomenclature. There is Grey Lynn, but its location is not central, and the reference of the name to Sir George is obscured by the attachment of the somewhat uncommon second word. Perhaps the proposers of the name's removal from the street have in mind its transfer to some other, encouraged by the perambulations of his statue; but their case is not strengthened by such an intention, should they have it. Indeed, it is probable that long-established habit would prove too strong for this street's being readily and generally called by any other name. It ought also to be remembered; that, whatever may have happened at any time to injure the street's reputation, this must be accounted a mere incident in its history, already long and destined to be continued indefinitely after this generation is forgotten. In earlier days it was a thoroughfare of the highest repute. Why should it not become so again 1 With the erection of. the Town Hall, the transformation of the adjacent gully into | a splendid park, and the improvements made here and there of late along its length, it is rapidly returning -to that status for which its situation admirably fits it. In view of these things it is safe to say that, if the name be changed now. it will be regretted in years come that the great pro-consul was dispossessed of this heritage of memory because of some transient circumstance. If it be agreed that there is nothing wrong with the name and yet protested that there is something wrong with the street, the better course, for every good reason, would be to change the character of the street. That is clearly a more obvious civic duty, if any change be required, than the mere shifting of naing-plates. There has been recently a considerable amount of re naming of streets, some of it advis able on grounds of convenience ; but no such argument applies in this instance, and the proposal merits rejection once for all.