Maurie Sexton, KHA Committee.
Barbara Seymour, The Editor KHA Newsletter.
Mark Cleghorn, President
KHA, PO Box 3626
Manuka; ACT 2626
Dear Mark/Maurie/Barbara,
Re Proposal to Add Z to Kosciusko in KHA's Name
I note in the Review of the Constitution sent out a month ago, it is proposed to alter the spelling of Kosciusko to include the Z as adopted by the NSW Geographic Names Board (GNB).
I have no issues at all with any other changes in the constitution. However, the change in spelling I wish to oppose. If I don't attend the annual general meeting, I don't know how to register my opposition. So I am writing this letter in the hope that a change of heart prevails.
As is known, the GNB, in its wisdom, altered the spelling due to a campaign by some groups. Details of this are sketchy.
I have found a lot of opposition to this alteration over the years both by some KHA members and others within the bushwalking fraternity who haven't seen any need to alter the spelling.
Several letters in the KHA Newsletter provide several perspectives on this issue and provide invaluable historical settings; i.e. 101 Spring 1998 by Alan Andrews, 102 Summer 98/99 Editors Note, 108 Winter 2000 by Alan E J Andrews, FRAHS
[Author of Kosciusko: the Mountain in History, Tabletop Press, ACT]
I have captured the above correspondence to
http://www.tip.net.au/~ghutch/kosci/nozinkos.htm if its of interest to you and others.There is also more recent correspondence 123 Autumn 2004 by Rohan Prowse.
I have also discovered that the USA still uses the spelling Kosciusko. Refer to
http://www.rootsweb.com/~inkosciu/ that provides information on Kosciusko County, Indiana.The following link describes Kosciusko town in Attala County in Mississippi
http://www.kopower.com/coc/coc.htm.
There is also a KOSCIUSKO & SOUTHWESTERN Railway operating in the dame area. Refer to http://www.ksry.com/index.
These US links all refer to the Polish General, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, and spell his name with a Z. But they all spell Kosciusko as used in the town and county with NO Z. This seems too much of a coincidence to me! He is revered in America as he served as a military engineer in the American Revolutionary.
Consequently, the supposed mistake by Strzelecki in naming and spelling Mt Kosciusko in Australia, seems to be thus much wider than what was previously thought and what the GNB concluded.
I would also like to point out that the NSW GNB has been a source of irritation for many in this State over a long period of time. This is not just about Kosciusko but about their continual tinkering with geographic and residential names. Naturally many residents of an area become quite irate when such a body changes a name with limited consultation.
Its also interesting that most members of KHA didn't seem to know about the proposed change to the spelling of Kosciusko until the change was agreed by the board and more or less fait a compli. I also heard a member of the GNB interviewed on radio and she stated quite definitively that the change was not compulsory and it was up to individual organisations to use the old or new spelling.
I sincerely believe that KHA has a duty to uphold the correct and unique historical spelling of Kosciusko as used in Australia and the US.
Instead of accepting the GNB's spelling we should ask for a review of this decision. At the very least KHA members should be allowed to have a fair say on this matter. Currently it is being undertaken in a bundle of other changes most of which seem administrative.
The KHA does some great work and has contributed much to the fantastic preservation of great Australian history. Also many of its members have added to this work by documenting and writing great books capturing this history.
Surely we should also work to preserve the "culture" of the spelling of Kosciusko.
Regards,
Greg Hutchison
10th May 2004