WHITIANGA OR MERCURY BAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 12

WHITIANGA OR MERCURY BAY.

Sir, —Whitianga is only a Maori name, and Mr. Lyon looks at the change of name purely from a business point of view. Apparently this young country should have no foundation history. Outpost office was named Whitianga in comparatively recent years, so recent, in fact', that it was adopted by the first white settlers to the district. I believe that the official name for portion of the township is Campbelltown. One might almost suggest that Auckland is not Auckland, as it comprises names such as Remuera, Ponsonby, Ellerslie, etc. Whitianga is tho correct appellation for the post, and the township on the shores ,of Whitianga Harbour. Tho uneuphonious appellation, Mercury Bay, is the designation of a sheet of water. Common use accelerated recently by an error in advertising has resulted in confusion and dual names for tho township. Your correspondent's difficulty could be easily overco'me by simply eliminating the appellation bay, making the Mercury Swordfish Club, Whitianga; ditto, the Dairy Company. The English name would not be lost, as the sheet of. water would always be there. The change would do away with a perpetual puzzle to outsiders and would greatly contribute to the development of the place. That the Maori name would still be retained in connection with tho local crossing and rock is not correct. On sale in the township are photos entitled Mercury Bay by Moonlight, No. 1. The scene depicts Whiti-anga-a-Kupe (Kupe's crossing place) with Whitanga pa or rock in the- background. A. L. Lee.