THE WIRELESS STATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1576, 21 October 1912, Page 5

THE WIRELESS STATION.

Sir,—lt eeems that this wireless station is in for a stormy time, in. more ways than one. A, controversy, which might be easily termed "The Battle of the Names," appears to rage round the choice of a suitable name for the above. I have read the letters of both of your correspondents, "J. H. Collier" and "Kairuurn," with interest nnd perhaps may he allowed to add my little quota to the information already Riven. • First of all there is Otari. Poor old Otari! Until "Kainnmi" spoke, there was no one to stick up for.it. This is the ancient name of the hill on which the wireless plant is erected. Taking the ordinary interpretation of siich words it means "the • Place of Tari"—doubtless fomo old-time Maori warrior. At the buck of Wiulestown there.is an "Otari Native reserve," another instance of the name in (ho neighbourhood. But the name of the range of hills which we call Tinakori, and of which Otari forms the highest point (999 ft.), is "Ahu-mni-rangi"—the meaning of which is "(he hills sloping down from the sky.V This is a very old and very beautiful name. The next name for Otari was M'Cloverty, called after a very gallant officer. Colonel Jt'Clererty, who distinguished himself in tho Maori war in New Zealand and afterwards had a successful career in the Old World. Next on the list of names is Etako. As "Kairuuru" points out, this was given about thirty years ago when tho trig, station wa3 placed there. It is properly two words- "E Tako." We should say, Oh! Tako" or "I say-Tako," to give an English meaning of it. It is named after tho Hon. Wi Tako Ngnlata, M.L.C., a very prominent fi&uro and picturesque character in Wellington in the 'sixties. There is a fine old painting in the Dominion Museum above tho entrance hall in which Wi Tako appears,.grey-bearded with a peak cap on and European clothes. In the same picture is Te Punj (called there the '.'protector of Wellington"), and Dr. • Featherston the Superintendent of the Wellington Province, I

I mention this picture becnnse it is in such on awkward position to look at that many people would not notice it. It is one of the few links with the past Wellington possesses. > Last on the list comes Wakefleld. It is a striking fnct that in this the capital city of the Dominion there is no ineniorial in any shape or form of the great coloniser. Any method that would place his name constantly before the •rising generation would be a great thin? towards keeping Uho memory green or tho Founder of New Zealand. Whether thi3 name is adopted or not something else should be done as well. This is an opinion very widely expressed in Wellington, and also that it should bo a lasting and well chosen idea—not a statue. Regarding all theso names then they would all seem to have a claim of some sort and each has its supporters apparently. I wonder which will win? Tho atmosphere round old "Otari's" head (1 giro it its oldest namo in order to be fair) will be more electrical than over until the point is settled.—l am, etc., YOUNG NEW ZEALAND.

Sir,—Your correspondent "Kairuuru" in this morning's paper, who Is I believe an old and esteemed friend of mino of many years' standing, has a good man* assertions to make about an old Native Chief named "Tako," who, he says, owned the land around the "wireless" mount, and elsewhere, and was known there before Wakefield. I fancy he must have £ot his misleading information fat nway in tho Bay of Island or Auckland. I lived in this locality whea the Maoris outnumbered the whites by two to ono or more, and long before the iron pipe he speaks about was put in on the top of the "wireless" mount. Tot I never heard of this mythical old chief of his, and I have asked some of my old neighbours who still remain in tho land of the living, but they have never even heard of him: Everyone knows that the Maoris were communistic and Socialists and held all land in common. The land did not belonsr to individuals as with white people. The aboriginals held this country for hundreds of years on the very same terms as white people now hold it, by conquest and effective occupation, and our descendants will continue to hold it . only as long as they can effectively occupy and defend it against coloured races, much more numerous and powerful than themselves. The term jingo used by my friend is an unpleasant word used by some Englishmen to tnrow at their- own countrymen for daring to speak well of England and Englishmen. It is never used in the same connection by the Scotch, Irish, or \\elsh, or by the French or Germans.I am, etc., „ ~ „ ■ J. H. COLLIER, Creswick Terrac*. Northland, October." 10, ■ 1912.-