Welcome to Aotearoa New W Zealand's Worst Place Names Awards. The envelope, please.
In fifth place: Cape Maria van Diemen. C'mon. It's one thing to name a New Zealand city after a middling English politician, but naming the westernmost point of the North Island after the wife of the Dutch guy who financed your trip, that's low. Cape Maria van Diemen: a place fair begging for a new and better name.
Fourth place: Ninety Mile Beach. Yes, it’s a beautiful strand of sand stretching from Ahipara to Scott Point. Yes, it’s an abundant source of pipi and other delicious kai moana. But it ain’t 90 miles long. It’s only 55 (88km). Its original name was Te-Oneroa-a-Tōhē, which means “the long beach of Tōhē”.
Third place: Lower Hutt. Who was Lower Hutt named after? No one. It was named by and for one Sir William Hutt. He never came to the North Island. Or any of our islands. Under the banner of the New Zealand Company, he sold land he didn’t own to gullible Brits – and named the place after himself. Nailed it!
Denne historien er fra June 10-16 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra June 10-16 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
