POVERTY BAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2035, 21 March 1907, Page 1

POVERTY BAY.

SUGGESTED CHANGE OF NAME. The article on the question of changing the name of Poverty Bay. which appeared in the Tunis of Friday last has aroused some in torest, and while a reporter war taking up some of Mr J. Whinray’r valuable time yesterday tlie matter was referred to. Mr Whinray recounted some of bis experiences during a trip he made to England, He went to one wholesale house on business and was received by an old gentleman who wore gold-rimmed spectacles. This gentleman received him cordially but bis manner changed perceptibly when he found on reference to Mr Whinray’s business card that became from “Poverty Bay.” The old gentleman became grave and, looking over tlie top of his spectacles, scrutinised Mr Whinray from head to foot as if he were hardly to be trusted. He very gravely enquired if the district was really a poor qne, and even when Mr Whinray gave him an assurance that the contrary was the case, and explained how the name came to be given, tlie old gentleman still continued to keep Mr Whinray under strict observation, which, of course, was very amusing to the suspected gentleman. On the voyage hack to New Zealand Mr Whinray entered into a conversation with a man who was eoming to take up Ids residence in the colony. When he heard that Mr Whinray came from Poverty Bay, he said: —“I won’t go there. I am leaving poverty, and i don’t want to go to' it again,” Mr

AVhinray said he quito recognised that the prejudice against the name was not now so great as it used to be. AA’e had lived it down, but be felt sure many people were kept away from tlio district by tlio name. A public meeting was held regarding the matter, and there was a lot of agitation in the press, but nothing came of it. At that time Air AA’hinray suggested that the name should bo changed to Endeavor Bay. Owing to the natives being allowed to repudiate their land sales, said Mr AA’hinray, the name of Poverty Bay had stunk in the nostrils of the English people, and oven now b.c would favor the ill-fitting name being wiped off the Gazettes and chronicles of the colony. The conditions of the competition prompted b.v the Times with the object of finding the state of public feeling on the matter will he published in a few days, and the coupons on which suggested names are to he sent in will he circulated with the Times on April Ist.