As a journalist and Gisborne resident, I protest against the labelling of an insect found in a block of cheese as the “Gisborne cockroach”.
It is NOT . . . it is an AUSTRALIAN cockroach.
How would you like your town or city used for the name of an unwanted creepy-crawly?!
This insect was also found at Tauranga at about the same time as Gisborne — so why isn’t it the TAURANGA cockroach?
It is believed the cockroach came to Gisborne’s port as there were regular visits of ships serving the Pacific Islands, where the cockroach had already spread. Tauranga’s port was also likely the way the cockroach arrived there.
So, please — just “a cockroach” or “an Australian cockroach” — and leave Gisborne out of it!
Roger Handford
