Waitangi

     Eric Lindstrom, Senior Map Editor of the National Geographic Society, has sent me the following reply; it is the second time the NGS has accepted a change I suggested. He writes:
     "I have recently received an interesting description of Waitangi from a New Zealand correspondent who charmingly writes about the place: "Waitangi itself consists of the Treaty House, a National (Maori) Meeting House, a marae, a war canoe in its shed, and a flagpole. It is up a rise and over a bridge (the Waitangi river estuary) from the tourist township of Paihia, pop 1825. One end of Paihia (partially cut off from the rest by a bluff) is considered to be part of Waitangi...the population of Waitangi is small and indeterminate."
     We agree with you about the historical importance of the site (despite its size) and shall be adding it to our world atlas database for future updated editions."


     My comment: My large library contains only two books which are falling apart from use. They are copies of the National Geographic Atlas. My life would be impossible without them. When following events such as the floods in the eastern Pyrenees region of France (a country I know very well), I would lost without them. Fortunately a new edition is about to appear, just before mine disintegrate totally. Undaunted, I shall continue my effort to have Stanford's geography department revived.

Ronald Hilton - 11/16/99