DOUBTFUL HONOUR FOR MAORI M.P.'s

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5297, 9 January 1947, Page 2

DOUBTFUL HONOUR FOR MAORI M.P.'s

TIGER CUBS NAMED AFTER MAORI MEMBERS -The unofficial and facetious naming' of four tiger cubs at the Wellington Zqo as - "T^rfkatene,'^ "•/Omana," l"Ratana," ajnd- "tPaikea," the names of the four Maori members of Parliament, has caused quite I a stir in some quarters around Par- : liament Buildings. Wellington citizens are enjoying j the joke immensely and, although the : same hilarity is not evident in other ! quarters, it seems that the cubs will | retain these names for the rest of j their. days. Shortly after the cubs were born about a month ago a Wellington j newspaper published a cartoon showI ing the tigress labelled "Fraser" and , the fouy cubs bearing the names of the four recently re-elected Maori . members. i ApparentlY the videa was so well received that members of the staff I of the Wellington Zoo immediately adopted the titles for the cubs. The public was not slow to follow suit, anI the cubs are now called nothing else. i At least one of the Maori mem- ! bers concerned is reported to have failed to see the hiumourous side of the episode and suggestions that he should vlsit tjlxe zio and formally christen the cubs met with little'enthusiasm. Inquiries at the zoo revealed that the cubs will probably remain unchristened. It is felt that the •unofficial titles have been received so well that it would be a pity to change them and, in spite of any protests, the four cubs seem destined to grow us as 'Tirikatne," "Omana," ^Ratana" and "Paikea." ! In case the Maori members may feel some affront it should be pointed .out that they will be indistinguished j eompany, for three tiger cubs previously born at the Wellington Zoo were christened "Churchill," "Roosevclt," and "Stalin." |