SIX CHRISTENINGS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2957, 21 December 1916, Page 7

SIX CHRISTENINGS

MAORI-NAMED STREETS

JACK CORNWELL HONOURED A' rather interesting discussion on tho naming of tho now streets on the latest Thorndon reclamation took place at last evening's meeting of the AVelltugton Harbour Board. Tho Wharves and Accounts Committee submitted tho following recommendations;— Street No. 1: Kaiwhara Quay. 2: Ponoke> Quay. 3: Whakarire Street. 4: Kitchcnor, or Beatty, or Corn■weJl Street. . ..- ■ 5: Ring's Wharf Approach. 6: Glasgow Wharf Approivh. • Mr, A. H. Hindmarsh (>& attention to tho mis-spelling of v?b namo proposed for street No. I. Jt should he Kaiwharawhara. : Othor members thought tlio full title "too loug. Mr. M. Cohen said that in years to come the area now being laiid out in streets would be covered with warehouses, and Kaiwhaiawhara would be a diffioult namo for overseas business people to use. Mr. Hindmarsh; If wo are going to ' lave a Maori name we may as well have it correct: Kaiwharawhara, lie added, was tho name of. a fruit food that used to be obtainable on tho hanks of the stream there, and from which the stream and tho locality had taken its namo. Members: Too long. Tho name is ttuoh too long. Mr. Hindmarsh: Very well, let it bo Kaiwhara. ■• • Someone suggested Aotea Quay. Mr. Hindmarsh: Oversea peoplo will never pronounce that. You cannot pronounce it properly yourselves. "Aotea" was adoptod, notwithstanding that every mohibcr (oxcept Mr. Hindmarsh)who'essayed to use .it failed to make it sound at all like a Maori name.

Street No. 2 was fe.achcd, and tho' committee's recommendation was for Poneko Quay. ' ■ ' .

. Mr. Hindmarsh: I'm going to oppose this. Poneko is merely a Maori shot at Port Nik. ... I move as an amendment that we call it Knipnkc Quay. That means ship; it is appropriate.

A member: Call it Ship Street. That is shorter.

'Arawa Quay (after the canoe) was mentioned, but Tainui Quay was eventually decided on.

No. 3 was down on the list of recommendations as Whakarire Quay. This •was after the dredge '-Whakarire. Tho ■word refers to "making deep." Mr. Hindmareh, despairing of having local Maori names, adopted, and ridiculing the idea of simply using any Maori name whatever, read the story of the heroism of John Travers Cornwell, the boy hero' of the Battle of Jutland, and moved for Comwell Quay. To make it clear why tho name Cornwe|l adorned the street, ' Mr. Hindmarsh thought a tablet should he erected giving the explanation. His suggestion was adopted. . For highway No. t, Kitchener, Beatty, aadHinemoa came into competition, Hinemoa won easily. Two other avenues were named King's Wharf 'Approaoh and Glasgow Wharf -Approach. :Ths chairman said no buildings were ..possible on those approaches; the names were merely directions. -