A MISNOMER.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13369, 20 August 1907, Page 4

A MISNOMER.

Assuming the correctness of the explanation given by Mr Muslin/hi regard to the naming of the electoral district which for the future is to be known as Geraldine, we are still of opinion that the Representation Commissioners made, a. mistake in not adhering to the till? which they originally applied to the new* constituency. Mr Masliu tells us that the district now takes its name, from the county of Geraldine, and not from the township, as wa had supposed to be the case. Our informant, we suppose, lias rea.son to know tin) motives which influenced the Commissioners in abandoning " Temuka." for " Geraldine," so that perhaps he can tell us why the retention of the familiar name wais not decided upon in the first place, for ive must confe.ss that to our mind it must have required a. considerable straining of terms to fasten upon an e.lectorata the. name of a district with whicJi it happens to have, less connection than it has with three or four other districts. It is quito true, that the new ' electoral district of Geraldine contains a part of the Geraldine county, but it also contains respectable slices-of the Waimate county and of the Levels county, as well as the whole (wo believe) of the Mackenzie, county. Hence, if it was to lie christened after a county, it seems that the new district should have been called Mackenzie. Rut as the largest borough in it is Temuka, and as it also includes the Temuka Road Board district, tho Representation Commissioners acted on a sensible impulse when they labelled it " Temuka " on tho electoral map. Perhaps Mr Muslin will tell us why the Commissioners went back on their original intention. We aro aware that (lie people of Geraldine headed a movement, which had our entire sympathy, for securing a readjustment of the new boundaries so as to conserve tho community of interest, of the country lying between the Rangitata and the Wait aid, and that in pursuance of their object a. Geraldine. deputation appeared before tho Commissioners in Christ: church. The boundaries, unfortunately, remained unaltered, but the old name was restored—for what purpose we know not. Probably the point is not of much importance, but Mr Masliu has excited our curiosity, and we should like to knowhow ho justifies the application of the nanij " Geraldine" to an electorate which the present member for Geraldiuo evidently regards as an unknown land. Mr Flatnian's intentions with regard to tho next election show that if Geraldine desired to remain impressed upon the politics of the country, it. should have, absorbed the Ashburton district instead of permitting itself to bo absorbed by the northern electorate. No doubt that procedure would have assisted Mr Flatinan*R ■joining candidature) uud would have been

iiu offset In the friendly interest which thr fiii'in labourers at Temiika last night promised tu evince in any dHricl which he honours with hiw attentions.