NAMES OF STATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20074, 11 October 1928, Page 12

NAMES OF STATIONS.

THE WESTFIELD DEVIATION. TAUOMA SUGGESTED FOR THIRD. GREAT HISTORICAL INTEREST. In view of the early completion of the railway deviation through tho Mount Wellington district, the naming of tho three new stations to be situated in tho area has for some time exercised the minds of local residents. The matter was further discussed at the meeting of tho road board last evening.

The proposed station at tho north end of the district was originally intended to bo named Tamaki, but was changed to Marama. Tho station at the extreme south end of tho district has been named Sylvia Park. It is tho christening of the centre station that has aroused controversy. Tho Railway Department tentatively suggested Panmure, because tho adjoining postal district is so named, but about 18 months ago the road board suggested tho station should bo named Mount Wellington, or, alternatively, tho Maori version—Maungarei. Exception was taken to tho name of Mount Wellington on the ground that it might cause confusion with tho capital city, and to Maungarei because of its similarity to Whangarei. Tho board was invited to confer with tho Panmuro Town Board on tho question, but nothing was accomplished. Tho desire to select a suitable Maori namo of historical interest • has sinco been tho subject of investigation, and recently tho department was approached by the"road board with a suggestion that the station should bo named Tauoma—the original name given to the locality by the Ilauraki tribe, Ngati-Paoa, when it was occupied by it at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Interpreted, tho word means " fleeting years," and authority for tho title may bo found in a judgment in the Orakei Block case, delivered in the Nativo Land Court in Auckland by Judge Fenton in 1869. Other Maori authorities havo confirmed this and havo oxpressed tho opinion that tho namo is a beautful ono of great historical interest and easy of pronunciation. At its meeting last evenjng the road board received a reply to its suggestion stating the department had no objection to any particular name so long as it did not conflict with any railway, postal, or other names. If local feeling was unanimous. thero would be nothing to stand in tho way of tho suggestion, and the department would be glad to be advised when the concurrence of n, majority of the residents affected had been obtained.

Discussing the matter, board members pointed out the question was ono affecting their district alone, and it would be a waste of time and effort to attempt to secure agreement on the question if an outside local authority had to bo consulted. It was decided the chairman and clerk should interview tho district railway authorities.