On the naming of Inglewood

A party of gentlemen — members of the Provincial Council — were invited by the Executive to partake of lunch at the new township, in the Moa block, in order to see the district, and bestow a suitable name on the town. The party consisted of Messrs. Standish, Kelly, Upjohn, Andrews, Callaghan, Syme, Peacock, Elliot, McGuire, and Hately. In consequence of the arrival of the Avalanche, his Honor the Superintendent could not join the party as was intended. After luncheon had been partaken of, Mr. Kelly, in the absence of the Superintendent, addressed the company, and stated the object of the meeting. 

He said that he regretted the necessity there existed to change the name of the township from Milton to Inglewood, but, in doing so, he did not consider the name either ignoble or inappropriate. A writer in the News questioned the meaning which he had given to the word, and, though it could not be disputed that the writer was right in stating that "ingle" was derived from the Gaelic, and meant fire, yet that did not in any way prove that the old Saxon name Inglewood meant firewood; on the contrary "Ing" in Saxon means a pasture, a meadow, or a level plain; and as applied in the word Inglewood was more likely to mean an open plain, or meadow in a wood, and, therefore, appropriate to the name of the township. There was no doubt that the site was a plain in a wood, though not at present a meadow or pasture. In few places could 150 acres be obtained so level as the site of the township, and it was an indication of the level character of the country. He would call on Mr. Standish, as Secretary for Waste Lands, to perform the ceremony of christening the township.

A lordly pine stood in the vicinity of the party, and Mr. Standish dashed on its rugged trunk a bottle of sparkling champagne, and declared the name of the township to be Inglewood. Three cheers was given for the new township, and Mr. Upjohn, as the oldest member of the Council present, responded, and addressed the meeting in a speech of some length, in which he described the vicissitudes of the Province, but now believed in its prosperity. Mr. Andrews proposed [a toast to] "the Executive," and spoke with approval of their action. Mr. Kelly responded, and stated that the Government felt grateful for the support and assistance which they had received from the Council. Mr. Standish proposed "The Council," and spoke in terms of praise at the energy they shown in getting through the business. Mr. Syme responded. "The Patea Members" was also given, which was responded to by Mr. Peacock, who said the members returned satisfied that the Province intended to deal fairly with Patea, and the ill feeling and jealousy which existed at the first was now being rapidly removed. Mr. Kelly proposed "The success of the District," and called on the oldest inhabitant, Mr. Stevens, to respond. Mr. Stevens responded, and thanked them for the compliment paid him in coupling his name with the toast, and expressed his belief that though the inhabitants were now few that in a few years Inglewood would be a thriving district. 

At this period the party broke up, having spent a very pleasant day together. The Patea members went on, on foot, to Patea, while the New Plymouth party returned to town, where they arrived about eight o'clock.

- Taranaki Herald, 27 January 1875

See also:

History: Writing to the New Plymouth colony, 28 November 2015

Blog: 'Psychics' 'helped' search, 3 April 2014

History: Old New Plymouth, 9 February 2014