The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1926. A WORTHY NAME.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16781, 26 April 1926, Page 6

The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1926. A WORTHY NAME.

The Prime Minister has written to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and expressed his appreciation of their action in bringing about a change of title in the London Chamber of Commerce from Australasian Trade Section to Australian and New Zealand Trade Section. This may seem lo our Australian cousins to be qn instance of small local feeling, but the desire that the separate Dominion should be known as such is a perfectly reasonable one, and should be encouraged in every way. In this connection it is a real misfortune that the term Australasia should be so striking. All lovers of Tennyson will quote "By the long wash of Australasian Seas." and we in this country may well wish that we had been blessed with a title so euphonious and impressive. AVc desire that New Zealand should be known, and that its great claims, on a variety of scores should be duly appreciated, but it is a real handicap to be saddled with a name which proclaims us to have been recently found, and to be a part of Holland . There are objections undoubtedly to any new and artificial name, and it would Uke time to become familiar both lo the people of the country and lo the other parts of the Empire. We need scarcely trouble about the rest of the world to whom we are an unknown quantity. In spile, however, of the objections that may bo raised it would bo well If the Government would seriously consider the re-christcning of our country. When we think of the good fortune of Canada and Australia in starting on their career as nations with names that call up at once associations of their country and are in themselves a stimulus lo patriotic pride, and then reflect that we are to pass down through the centuries with the permanent label of novelty and the suggestion of immaturity we are inclined to think that fortune has played us a scurvy trick. It has been asked "what's in a name," and Shakespeare tells that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but in spite of his authority it will be felt by all that names have an importance which cannot be defined but at the same lime cannot be questioned. Many of the most striking lines in poetry are the beadrolls of heroes, and they stir the imagination as few things can do. The poverty of our nalional name is the more striking because our cities and chief towns are all well named. When once the country has been entered there is nothing to offend the ear, but the traveller who contemplates a world journey will certainly not be attracted by the title of our country. The very title of the section of the London Chamber of Commerce, "The Australian and New Zealand Trade Section" is clumsy and calculated to strike an unpleasant impression. Suggestions might be invited for a name which should be worthy of the country; which should be British and not Dutch, though we need not rule out the possibility of Maori references. The clement of remoteness might be considered and the encircling ocean and Iho bountiful sunshine. If there are any pools in our midst Ibis is the opportunity for them, oven though tlicy may lack the graces of metre and rhyme.

]( our statesmen were willing lo grasp the opportunity it is open to them lo reverse the position wifh Aus-. tralia and make it The New Zealand and Australian Trade Section. This country is capable of supporting with ease twice as many people as now inhabit Australia, and it will lake Australia a long lime to double its numbers. Wo have not stripped the country of settlers to enlnr.ee the towns; the country is well balanced though wo could wish lo see greater growth in the South Island. We have many centres, and have escaped the penalty of one huge capital that overshadows the country. We have vast areas still -hat call out for scUlc-

mcnt, and even larger areas that are owned and settled, but arc inadequately cultivated. If we would give agriculture a fair chance it might support a very much larger number than at present. That larger number would provide a market that would make secondary industries possible. Unfortunately our politicians are taking things out of their turn and arc copying Australian methods hiFtcad of regarding them as models lo be carefully avoided. It is not on these lines that the country will grow. Wo are perhaps not lo be charged that we have laid up our talent in a napkin, but assuredly we are not taking the course to turn the one talent into ten.