Letters to the Editor - Tuesday January 15, 2013

Peaceful

There is an article about Doubtless Bay in the Northland Age in which it is stated that De Surville lost his anchor in the bay after a violent incident with the local Maori. That's definitely untrue.

His visit was rather peaceful compared with some, including Cook's. In fact any violence was committed by De Surville, who kidnapped Chief Ranginui at Tokerau Beach after he lost a boat and his anchor in a violent storm. That's how the anchor was lost.

The bay has two names in Maori; 'Tokerau,' or Tumoana's description of it in the moonlight looking like 'many glow worms,' or 'Tokarau,' which is 'many fishing grounds.' There is another one apparently, from a tupuna called Poiharuru, which I am not familiar with.

The French name is St Lauristan Bay.

ATIHANA M JOHNS

Taupo