THE NAMING OF DUNEDIN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18235, 20 November 1924, Page 3

THE NAMING OF DUNEDIN.

- . OLD CELTIC APPELLATION. An explanation of the naming of; Dunedin has been given in "United Empire," by Mr H. K. Rutherford. He. refers to the. "township" of. Dunedin, but from the contents it is clear that he means the capital city of Otago. 1 Mr Rutherford quotes the following ; passage from'.'"Chambers' Journal" of '.January/1882,-in"which Mr W. Cham•bers, tho editor and'publisher, in recording his reminiscences of events from 1832 to 1882, refers .as follows to the [Circumstances.-, which, led to the selection of tlie name:— "Having- written 'a number of, .articles on the subject of ; emigrationV' I felt considerable-interest in the operation's of the New Zealand Land Company,- which proposed to colonise New Zealand on a plan somewhat 1 resembling the New England Settlements in the 17th century; one setlement to be for members of the Church of England, another for Scottish Presbyterians, and so on. While on a visit to London I procured some' information on, the subject from Mr Edward Gibbon Wakefield, a leading spirit in the company's affairs. In the district set aside for the reception or Scottish tattlers it was arranged that the name of tho chief town was, by way of attractiveness, to be New Edinburgh. It was no business of mine what they called the town; but without damage to the plan I thought an improvement might be suggested, which I did as follows, in a letter to the editor of the New Zealand journal published in, London, November 11th, 18-13: : • : ' ' ' '' r '"lf not finally resolved upon, 1 would stronclr recommend a reconsideration of the name New Edinburgh, and the adoption of another infinitely superior, and vet equally allied to "Old Edinburgh." I mean the assumption of the name Dunedin, which is the ancient Celtic appellation of Edinburgh, and is now occasionally applied in poetic composition and otherwise to the Northern Metropolis. I would at all events hope that the names of places with the prefix "New" should be sparingly had recourse to. The "News in North America are an abomination which it has lately been proposed to sweep out of the country. It will be matter for regret if the New_ Zealand Company helo to carrv the nuisance to the territory* with which it is concerned.' , "The letter bore my signatures-tor I have made a noint of never'writing an anonvmous letter—and the hint was taken. The name New Edinburgh was changed to Dunedin, which it now hears. In September, 1880. I received a comnlimentary letter from the Municipal Council cf Dunedin which bore an interesting reference to the circumstance."