Post by Kiwi Frontline on Sept 3, 2016 6:48:50 GMT 12
Wanganui Chronicle 3/9/16
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
I would like to ask Gypsy Wright one question, following his comment that preferential treatment for Maori is justified because of "the land grab and other atrocities inflicted upon Maori". When will the equality he asks for be satisfied — will it ever be enough?
Squillions are paid in Treaty settlements with many privileges, such as Maori-only schools, education scholarships, language funding, radio and television, seats in Parliament, health and welfare initiatives, prisoner programmes, statutory boards, co-management of natural features etc. What of the special tax rate of 17.5 percent for Maori?
What of Ngai Tahu, who — as one of the country's wealthiest corporations — are now worth over $1 billion but pay no tax at all on any of their New Zealand businesses, because they are registered as a charity? They own Go Bus, Rainbow Springs, ShotoverJet and more.
Another "charity" is Waikato-Tainui and its Tainui Group Holdings which rakes in millions — mostly from its Te Rapa retail development, The Base. Once again, no tax.
Gypsy, when will you be satisfied? Isn't it time that we all just became New Zealanders?
R B
Tauranga
PLACE NAMES
What a weird and irrelevant letter from Nigel Brooke (Chronicle, August 30) in response to mine —as if his woad-decorated ancestors had anything to do with it.
The native language of most people of Maori descent is English and they already have some influence at the New Zealand variety —eh, bro! Few whose first language is a Maori dialect remain.
I am informed that the artificial form of it now taught as a second language is barely understandable to most of them.
I would not rely on what Jacinth Ruru says, and "Aotearoa" is not a real name of our country — see if you can find it in the Treaty of Waitangi.
However, place names are different and they become part of the common speech of everyone.
A referendum is an entirely reasonable way to find out what the residents of a town or city want it to be called. The wishes of a substantial majority of the people of your city have been ignored on shaky grounds.
BRUCE MOON
Nelson
Bay of Plenty Times 3/9/16 (Also in the Weekend Sun / Sunlive 2/9/16)
HISTORY LESSON
A petition fronted by two Otorohanga College pupils calling for a national day to remember the "land wars" has been successful Government has agreed to this without any knowledge of whether the general public wanted it or whether the historical facts for the request were accurate.
Maori fought alongside government and against government and much of what happened, can be better described as tribal rebellions, rather than land wars.
The more important petition to Peter Dunne, Minister of Archives, concerning the legitimacy of what is known as the "official English" version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi has been refused, despite the incontrovertible evidence which has been researched from Archives NZ, museums, microfilm, handwriting experts and historians that has been supplied to him (Abridged)
M J A
Tauranga
Weekend Sun / Sunlive 2/9/16
TAKE NOTE!
Re: R Paterson's letter ‘A sense of inflated entitlement' (The Weekend Sun, August 26)should be required reading for all who favour honest recording of our history. It is comprehensive but succinct and its accuracy can be readily verified. Politicians and iwi Treaty revisionists take note.
B J
Omokoroa.
KNEEJERKING ON LAND WARS DAY –
Re: ‘Setting a new holiday date' article on Sunlive.co.nz on August 21.
Well, let's start at the beginning with Deputy Prime Minister Bill English announcing at Ranigiri on August 19, 2016, according to media reports a new holiday to commemorate the New Zealand Wars. Well that interpretation is wrong because early last week, Mr English and Prime Minister Key suddenly backtracked saying only a Commemoration Day would be entertained, not a public holiday, and this would be a locally driven event - a bit like the Easter trading fiasco.
Clearly what had happened between Friday's kneejerking and Monday's light of day, was the penny had dropped with these slow learners who realised that 80 per cent of Kiwis don't want a bar of a ‘wars' public holiday.
A Gisborne poll held last week confirms only 20 per cent approved of such a public holiday. This ‘fete day' aberration was driven by the Maori Party, which gained only a pitiful 1.3 per cent of the 2014 popular vote, and its sidekicks. In addition Mr English also had one other major problem to overcome, namely the proposal was being considered - not determined - by a Parliamentary Select Committee at the same time on August 19.
Incidentally, any meaningful public consultation has been virtually non-existent on the topic.
Let's be clear there were no ‘land wars', or for that matter ‘New Zealand Wars' the uprisings were open tribal rebellions - and as pre-warned by Governor Grey land was confiscated but then much of it subsequently returned to Maori very shortly after the confiscations.
R P
Matapihi.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
I would like to ask Gypsy Wright one question, following his comment that preferential treatment for Maori is justified because of "the land grab and other atrocities inflicted upon Maori". When will the equality he asks for be satisfied — will it ever be enough?
Squillions are paid in Treaty settlements with many privileges, such as Maori-only schools, education scholarships, language funding, radio and television, seats in Parliament, health and welfare initiatives, prisoner programmes, statutory boards, co-management of natural features etc. What of the special tax rate of 17.5 percent for Maori?
What of Ngai Tahu, who — as one of the country's wealthiest corporations — are now worth over $1 billion but pay no tax at all on any of their New Zealand businesses, because they are registered as a charity? They own Go Bus, Rainbow Springs, ShotoverJet and more.
Another "charity" is Waikato-Tainui and its Tainui Group Holdings which rakes in millions — mostly from its Te Rapa retail development, The Base. Once again, no tax.
Gypsy, when will you be satisfied? Isn't it time that we all just became New Zealanders?
R B
Tauranga
PLACE NAMES
What a weird and irrelevant letter from Nigel Brooke (Chronicle, August 30) in response to mine —as if his woad-decorated ancestors had anything to do with it.
The native language of most people of Maori descent is English and they already have some influence at the New Zealand variety —eh, bro! Few whose first language is a Maori dialect remain.
I am informed that the artificial form of it now taught as a second language is barely understandable to most of them.
I would not rely on what Jacinth Ruru says, and "Aotearoa" is not a real name of our country — see if you can find it in the Treaty of Waitangi.
However, place names are different and they become part of the common speech of everyone.
A referendum is an entirely reasonable way to find out what the residents of a town or city want it to be called. The wishes of a substantial majority of the people of your city have been ignored on shaky grounds.
BRUCE MOON
Nelson
Bay of Plenty Times 3/9/16 (Also in the Weekend Sun / Sunlive 2/9/16)
HISTORY LESSON
A petition fronted by two Otorohanga College pupils calling for a national day to remember the "land wars" has been successful Government has agreed to this without any knowledge of whether the general public wanted it or whether the historical facts for the request were accurate.
Maori fought alongside government and against government and much of what happened, can be better described as tribal rebellions, rather than land wars.
The more important petition to Peter Dunne, Minister of Archives, concerning the legitimacy of what is known as the "official English" version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi has been refused, despite the incontrovertible evidence which has been researched from Archives NZ, museums, microfilm, handwriting experts and historians that has been supplied to him (Abridged)
M J A
Tauranga
Weekend Sun / Sunlive 2/9/16
TAKE NOTE!
Re: R Paterson's letter ‘A sense of inflated entitlement' (The Weekend Sun, August 26)should be required reading for all who favour honest recording of our history. It is comprehensive but succinct and its accuracy can be readily verified. Politicians and iwi Treaty revisionists take note.
B J
Omokoroa.
KNEEJERKING ON LAND WARS DAY –
Re: ‘Setting a new holiday date' article on Sunlive.co.nz on August 21.
Well, let's start at the beginning with Deputy Prime Minister Bill English announcing at Ranigiri on August 19, 2016, according to media reports a new holiday to commemorate the New Zealand Wars. Well that interpretation is wrong because early last week, Mr English and Prime Minister Key suddenly backtracked saying only a Commemoration Day would be entertained, not a public holiday, and this would be a locally driven event - a bit like the Easter trading fiasco.
Clearly what had happened between Friday's kneejerking and Monday's light of day, was the penny had dropped with these slow learners who realised that 80 per cent of Kiwis don't want a bar of a ‘wars' public holiday.
A Gisborne poll held last week confirms only 20 per cent approved of such a public holiday. This ‘fete day' aberration was driven by the Maori Party, which gained only a pitiful 1.3 per cent of the 2014 popular vote, and its sidekicks. In addition Mr English also had one other major problem to overcome, namely the proposal was being considered - not determined - by a Parliamentary Select Committee at the same time on August 19.
Incidentally, any meaningful public consultation has been virtually non-existent on the topic.
Let's be clear there were no ‘land wars', or for that matter ‘New Zealand Wars' the uprisings were open tribal rebellions - and as pre-warned by Governor Grey land was confiscated but then much of it subsequently returned to Maori very shortly after the confiscations.
R P
Matapihi.