Post by Kiwi Frontline on Feb 12, 2017 6:25:20 GMT 12
The Editor (Sent to the Bay of Plenty Times 4/2/17)
The opinion article by Race relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy Feb 4 on learning our nations past and history
is nothing short of breathtaking regarding her comments on the skirmish at Rangiowahia near Kihi kihi
Dame Susan has a whole commission and staff behind her yet she demonstrates she knows very little of the history of this affair
The action at Rangiowahia was initiated with preservation of human life as a major criteria and she insults the efforts of the
troopers who carried it out
If Dame Susan wants to encourage us to learn our history she should make a start with herself
The information is available and there is little excuse for her inaccuracies
GRAEME FAULKNER
Tauranga
Dear Editor (Sent to the Bay of Plenty Times 4/1/17
Susan Devoy in her column (4 Feb) tells of some teenagers from Otorohanga who on a school history trip to the site of the Battle of Rangiowhia "were horrified to hear that women and children who sought shelter in a local church were locked inside and the church burnt to the ground". Clearly they did no research to check the veracity of this claim because they then started a petition to have a holiday to commemorate the "Land Wars". It seems Devoy has also swallowed this story. What puts the lie to this claim is that both the original churches, the English and Catholic are still there today.
Casualties of the battle are recorded as
Maori: 12 killed including chiefs Hoani and Ihaia and two daughters of Kereopa Te Rau.
European: 3 killed and 2 mortally wounded.
Devoy challenges us “know your history”. She should be taking her own advice. Accepting these kind of historical fabrications as factual does nothing for race relations.
I expect better from New Zealand’s Race Relations Commissioner.
RICHARD PRINCE
Welcome Bay
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