Correspondence.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 641, 1 September 1869, Page 2

Correspondence.

WHAT SHALL ITS NAME BE ? TO THE EDITOtt OF THE EVENING HERAI.I),

Sept. 1, 1869. Sir,—That speech of Mr Creighton's in the House of Representatives, which you published yesterday under the heading " European and New Zealand Flax" has driven mc again to address a few words to the public on the necessity of having a distinctive name for this new industry. A year or two since it was a matter of no consequence what the stuff was called; it could not be made into •ny thing saleable; it was a mere cumberer of the ground; it was deemed the enigma of the age, and many a good pound was spent to solve the problem. But there are people in the world who are determined that .in the course of time there shall be nothing left to find out; and it is not to be supposed, in the face of such determination, that a simple trifle like dressing phormium tenax leaves, would long remain a mystery. The season has been successful—the enigma is one no longer ; machines are erected everywhere ; and phormium tenax fibre is at length a profitable article of manufacture and commerce; and surely it is now well worthy of a name of its own. Mr Creighton's speech is very amusing. I cannot say it is obscure; he evidently knows what he is talking about; and bydint of ringing the changes on New Zealand flax, Russian flax, Belgian flax, Irish fiax, European flax, and East Indian

flax, he succeeds tolerably well in conveying his meaning to his hearers and readers. But you will observe, sir, that wherever the word^aa: occurs by itself, it is only in the position of a personal pronoun ; we must refer back to discover the particulars he or she alluded to. If Mr Creighton be correct in his statement that East Indian-Belgian-Russian-Irish-European flax will " come to maturity" ten months out of twelve, I am not so sure that P. tenax will for any length of time maintain its present pre-emimence. The inherent qualities of the flax plant will recommend themselves in time, and I hope it is possible, without reducing , our working people quite to the condition of Russian serfs, that flax as well as P. tenax will yet become an article of export from New Zealand ; then—which will be New Zealand flax ? I commend this thought to the attention of our custom house authorities, to our merchants, and to the manufacturers of the P. tenax fibre. We have already flax, hemp, manila, jute—each in its turn, as it has come upon the markets of the world has taken a name for itself; and so should this—what shall its name be ? I don't like pointing to an error, without also attempting to supply a correction. J fear my first effort did not recommend itself, and I am now inclined to think the best plan would be to select a short self- ' speaking Maori name, if one can be found without nga in it. But, as lam not a Maori speaker, I will venture another suggestion of my own, the derivation of which I hope will not be needed—namely, Enzed. —l am, &c, MoiS'OLOGT.