Post by Kiwi Frontline on Sept 12, 2016 7:39:45 GMT 12
The Northern Advocate 12/9/16
MAORI SEATS
Contrary to Minister Flavell’s comments during a recent visit to Whangarei ( Advocate, September 1), designated Maori seats tarnish anyone holding them as racist, unethical, incapable of standing on their merits and possibly corruptible.
Minister Flavell and his fanatical ilk in the Maori Party make it fairly clear that they are after money, power and control, without the usual checks and balances. This is the sort of attitude that brings nations to their knees.
Councils were not created to promote one interest group or ethnicity over others. Their job is to ensure the city operates efficiently, effectively and healthily; ie, roads, water, sewerage and rubbish primarily — and to make sure ratepayers get the best value for money.
Our representatives are there to work in the best interests of the entire community, not for any particular cultural, religious, social, sporting or ethnic group. Nor are they there to fleece ratepayers for personal gain.
All New Zealanders have the right to stand for election and the right to vote. None of us are happy with the democratic outcome 100 per cent of the time but most of us acknowledge that democracy is the safest, most productive and peaceful form of government. At least we have a chance to vote any drongos out every three years. Which is certainly better than dishing out permanent appointments, with voting rights, based on a random ancestor.
A politician of Maori descent, Sir Peter Buck, once said: “Beware of separatism. Maori can do anything Pakeha can do, but we must all be New Zealanders first.”
GEOFF PARKER
Kamo
FORGOTTEN PAST
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting a charming lady by the name of Monica Matamua.
Amber-brown skin, green eyes and golden hair, quite distinctive from New Zealand’s part-Maori descendants.
But there is a problem — Monica does not exist.
You see, Monica is the leader of the Patupaiarehe people and her story is best described in her own words:
“I am now 82 and I wonder how long I have to live before recognition and justice is achieved for my people, the Patupaiarehe.
“I am not Maori. I am descended from that ancient people, the Patupaiarehe, who came to New Zealand over 2000 years ago.”
“My brother and I were chosen to take up our people’s fight to restore both our name and the land taken from us.”
“It is a terrible thing to experience at a marae hearing you are told to sit down and shut up, because you no longer exist.”
This was the learned decision of the Waitangi Tribunal.
Then I met George Connelly (Hori Kupenga Manuka Manuka).
George is the Te Upoko Ariki (paramount chief) of the Waitaha people, who he states arrived in this country in AD550 and settled initially around the Kaipara Harbour, and in AD850 spread to the South Island.
Again the Waitangi Tribunal refused to acknowledge the Waitaha as being here before the Maori, classing them as a subtribe of the Ngai Tahu.
As Ngapuhi chieftain David Rankin stated, “Maori are not the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.”
It is high time that a royal commission of inquiry be conducted into questionable “findings” of the Waitangi Tribunal so that New Zealand’s true history can be brought to light.
MITCH MORGAN
Kaipara
The New Zealand Herald 12/9/16 (Short & Sweet section)
ON COUNCILLORS
The greatest strength of New Zealand society is that it is made up of a majority of well-thinking, broadly middle class, individuals. Accordingly, if a universal vote was taken as to the appointment of non-elected Maori to local body councils, with equal voting rights, it seems certain that such a divisive racist system would be opposed by an overwhelming majority of fair minded people.
H L G,
Remuera
Dominion Post 12/9/16
NO TO ASH POLICE
I am delighted that the Kapiti Coast District Council is concerned at pollution from the scattering of a few urns of ashes from deceased locals.
It is a shame that the same council has not applied an equal level of interest to the wide open drains that frequent the Kapiti Coast area that are choked with rubbish, an eyesore and have to be a health hazard.
I would be surprised if any of Don Te Maipi's iwi even contemplate gathering of wild plants in any of these places, with or without burial ashes scattered in the area.
To include a clause in the cemeteries by-law as "voluntary compliance" is also a farcical waste of ratepayers' money.
The council needs to put its money where its mouth is. If there is a real need to ban the scattering of human ash, then explain what that reason is and stand by it. As it stands I am totally underwhelmed by the explanation to date and the priority it has been given by the council.
That said, I would hate to see my descendants in the future scattering my ashes on Paraparaumu Beach in the dead of night in order to avoid being apprehended by the Kapiti District Council "ash police".
B L
Paraparaumu Beach
MAORI SEATS
Contrary to Minister Flavell’s comments during a recent visit to Whangarei ( Advocate, September 1), designated Maori seats tarnish anyone holding them as racist, unethical, incapable of standing on their merits and possibly corruptible.
Minister Flavell and his fanatical ilk in the Maori Party make it fairly clear that they are after money, power and control, without the usual checks and balances. This is the sort of attitude that brings nations to their knees.
Councils were not created to promote one interest group or ethnicity over others. Their job is to ensure the city operates efficiently, effectively and healthily; ie, roads, water, sewerage and rubbish primarily — and to make sure ratepayers get the best value for money.
Our representatives are there to work in the best interests of the entire community, not for any particular cultural, religious, social, sporting or ethnic group. Nor are they there to fleece ratepayers for personal gain.
All New Zealanders have the right to stand for election and the right to vote. None of us are happy with the democratic outcome 100 per cent of the time but most of us acknowledge that democracy is the safest, most productive and peaceful form of government. At least we have a chance to vote any drongos out every three years. Which is certainly better than dishing out permanent appointments, with voting rights, based on a random ancestor.
A politician of Maori descent, Sir Peter Buck, once said: “Beware of separatism. Maori can do anything Pakeha can do, but we must all be New Zealanders first.”
GEOFF PARKER
Kamo
FORGOTTEN PAST
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting a charming lady by the name of Monica Matamua.
Amber-brown skin, green eyes and golden hair, quite distinctive from New Zealand’s part-Maori descendants.
But there is a problem — Monica does not exist.
You see, Monica is the leader of the Patupaiarehe people and her story is best described in her own words:
“I am now 82 and I wonder how long I have to live before recognition and justice is achieved for my people, the Patupaiarehe.
“I am not Maori. I am descended from that ancient people, the Patupaiarehe, who came to New Zealand over 2000 years ago.”
“My brother and I were chosen to take up our people’s fight to restore both our name and the land taken from us.”
“It is a terrible thing to experience at a marae hearing you are told to sit down and shut up, because you no longer exist.”
This was the learned decision of the Waitangi Tribunal.
Then I met George Connelly (Hori Kupenga Manuka Manuka).
George is the Te Upoko Ariki (paramount chief) of the Waitaha people, who he states arrived in this country in AD550 and settled initially around the Kaipara Harbour, and in AD850 spread to the South Island.
Again the Waitangi Tribunal refused to acknowledge the Waitaha as being here before the Maori, classing them as a subtribe of the Ngai Tahu.
As Ngapuhi chieftain David Rankin stated, “Maori are not the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.”
It is high time that a royal commission of inquiry be conducted into questionable “findings” of the Waitangi Tribunal so that New Zealand’s true history can be brought to light.
MITCH MORGAN
Kaipara
The New Zealand Herald 12/9/16 (Short & Sweet section)
ON COUNCILLORS
The greatest strength of New Zealand society is that it is made up of a majority of well-thinking, broadly middle class, individuals. Accordingly, if a universal vote was taken as to the appointment of non-elected Maori to local body councils, with equal voting rights, it seems certain that such a divisive racist system would be opposed by an overwhelming majority of fair minded people.
H L G,
Remuera
Dominion Post 12/9/16
NO TO ASH POLICE
I am delighted that the Kapiti Coast District Council is concerned at pollution from the scattering of a few urns of ashes from deceased locals.
It is a shame that the same council has not applied an equal level of interest to the wide open drains that frequent the Kapiti Coast area that are choked with rubbish, an eyesore and have to be a health hazard.
I would be surprised if any of Don Te Maipi's iwi even contemplate gathering of wild plants in any of these places, with or without burial ashes scattered in the area.
To include a clause in the cemeteries by-law as "voluntary compliance" is also a farcical waste of ratepayers' money.
The council needs to put its money where its mouth is. If there is a real need to ban the scattering of human ash, then explain what that reason is and stand by it. As it stands I am totally underwhelmed by the explanation to date and the priority it has been given by the council.
That said, I would hate to see my descendants in the future scattering my ashes on Paraparaumu Beach in the dead of night in order to avoid being apprehended by the Kapiti District Council "ash police".
B L
Paraparaumu Beach