TONGARIRO HOSTEL

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 227, 25 September 1929, Page 19

TONGARIRO HOSTEL

WHY NOT A MAORI NAME?

TOURISTS WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) . WELLINGTON, Tuesday. More was heard in (the House of Representatives to-day about the desirability of changing the name "Chateau Tongariro' 'to something more appropriate, when Mr. K. S. Williams (Bay of Plenty) suggested that the name should be "Tβ Heuheu." There was an old Maori legend, said Mr. Williams, which ran as follows: "Ko Taupo te Moana, Ko Tongariro te manga, Ko te Heuheu te tangata," meaning, "Taupo is the great lake (or sea), Tongariro is the great mountain, Te Heuheu is the great man." Mr. Williams pointed out that Te wis the Maori chief who had donated Tongariro National Park to the people of New Zealand. The name of the lake and the mountain, as found in the origiaal Maori, had been perpetuated, so why not perpetuate the name of the donor ? Messrs. J. A: Nash (Palmerston North) and M. J. Savage (Auckland West) supported this request. In reply, the Minister of Lands (Hon. G. W. Forbes) stated that the company which leased the hostel area held that if the hostel were given a Maori name it would not convey to the tourist that he would be able to get the "chateau standard" of comfort. The company took the view that, as they were financially interested, they should be allowed to use whatever name they chose.