TWO PALMERSTONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6313, 13 September 1907, Page 6

TWO PALMERSTONS

LOCAL RIVALRY, MEMBERS AT PLAY. There are two Palmerstons—North and South. There are also two members of Parliament representing the respective interests of tnose important township©. They were at play for a short period on Wednesday, as the following will show; Mr T. Mackenzie asked the PostmasterGeneral —Whether he is unaware that some of his postal officials are unaware of the fact that Palmerston is a town in the South. Island, and that letters addressed to that well-known, progressive, and charmingly situated centre are invariably despatched to a township—of comparatively recent date—located in the North Island, which boars a somewhat similar cognomen; if so, will he endeavour to correct this by requiring his officers to become acquainted with the leading centres of the dominion, in order to obviate the present inconvenience and delay in the delivery of mails? The Postmaster-General replied: The very best is done to avoid mistakes in despatching letters from Wellington intended for Palmerston and Palmerston North. Unfortunately, many, people, including at times writers for the daily press, persist in abbreviating tlio name of “Palmprston North" to “Palmerston," which is very embarrassing to postoffice clerks. Most of the clerks in the Wellington district have a fair knowledge of the names of residents of and streets in Palmerston North, so that letters intended for Palmerston' North are not often sent to the South Island. Occasionally, however, a letter intended for Palmerston in the South Island is sent to Palmerston North, and it is difficult to see how this can be avoided, unless the name Palmerston North is chtuiged, or Palmerston is officially designated "Palmerston South." It is understood that, as Palmerston is the older settlement of the two, there is considerable objection to altering the name. I would, however, state that “Puketapu" would be more preferable than to have such an important centre as Palmerston subject to the inconvenience that arises from their being another town of the same name in the North Island, and in the years to come this similarity of name will prove to be a greater inconvenience than has occurred up to now. I would suggest that the matter might with .advantage be overcome by tailing the course recommended by me in replying to the question of the hon. member for Palmerston North, THE RETORT COURTEOUS.” Mr Wood, asked the Postmaster-Gene-ral whether it is correct, as alleged by the hon. member for Waikouaiti, that letters are sometimes sent to the "Chicago of New Zealand■viz., Palmerston North, the most progressive, prosperous, best, Laid-out, go-ahead, and up-to-date town in the dominion—which letters are intended for an insignificant, sparsely-built, scattered-looking, dreary village known as Palmerston, in the South; and, if the rumour is correct, will the Postmaster-General, out of respect for the feelings of the vast population of Palmerston North, see that the practice is discontinued. ' The Postmaster-General replied: Considering the inconvenience that has arisen from time to time owing to two important towns having a similar name, it is to be regretted that one or the other do not change the name. Hanawatu would, in my opinion, be a more striking name for Palmerston North than the one it now possesses, but I recognise that local sentiment must be considered when any proposal few a change of name is suggested. As name of one of the two towns could with advantage to both go out of existence, X would suggest -that either the members of the district or the Mayors of both towns should meet and draw loto in onfer to decide which is to take the charming Maori name that would, if adopted by either town, certainly not be to its disadvantage.