Post by Kiwi Frontline on Aug 31, 2019 5:10:00 GMT 12
Nelson Mail 31/8/19
TEACHING NZ HISTORY
It is now being suggested by some university academics that New Zealand history should be reintroduced as a school curriculum subject, as there is ‘‘too much misunderstanding and ignorance about our past’’. Most New Zealanders would support this suggestion, albeit for different reasons.
There is a large imbalance in the way our school-aged children are now being educated, which has, in particular, almost removed any recognition whatsoever of the importance and huge contribution made by those migrants from the United Kingdom, and smaller numbers of other nationalities, who laid the foundation for the way of life we know today. Those migrants, who are our forebears, endured great hardship as they settled and developed this country which we are all now part of.
This, unfortunately, has been overwhelmed and largely lost by Treaty of Waitangi issues, which for many reasons have dominated the learning of our past history.
It is time for the full, factual and balanced history of our country to be taught again without fear or favour. We owe that to our children.
NEVILLE MALE, Stoke
Weekend Sun / Sunlive 30/8/19
MISSION ST
John Robson’s opinion piece (Private advertisement in The Weekend Sun, August 23) is a timely rebuttal of some of the misleading misinformation floating around in etherland [sic] about The Elms and particularly 11 Mission Street, Tauranga.
Robson gives a good, brief, factual summary of the historical background and the current issues.
Mr Mikaere on the other hand does nothing to enhance his self-proclaimed standing as a local historian with his inaccuracies and emotive spiels on the topic.
The position since 2006 is crystal clear – [Tauranga City Council] purchased 11 Mission Street, Tauranga using ratepayer money with the express and stated intention of gifting this property to The Elms in due course and Council has reiterated that promise and intention over the intervening years.
Just stop the twaddle and get on with what is the right thing to do and immediately Transfer 11 Mission Street to The Elms Foundation not to Otamataha Trust nor any other outfit.
Take it from me, TCC ratepayers and citizens have had enough of this council and its antics and hopefully their votes will show this come the October elections.
ROB PATERSON (Chairman Citizens Advocacy Tauranga)
MARGARET RESPONDS
What a dreadful letter from R Bell. How on earth can it be racist to want all men and women to have equal political rights, irrespective of when they or their ancestors came to New Zealand?
If she wants different political rights for people based on their ethnicity, then it is she who is the racist, not me. I want a society where every citizen has the same political rights, and that is what I will fight for whether elected as mayor or not.
She refers to my “disturbing association” with Don Brash and Hobson’s Pledge, for which he is one of the spokesmen. I agree with Hobson’s Pledge’s commitment to equal citizenship, and all New Zealanders should surely agree with that too. Article III of the Treaty of Waitangi quite explicitly guaranteed equal rights to all citizens.
But I am not a spokesperson for either Don Brash or Hobson’s Pledge. I am my own person.
R Bell asserts, condescendingly, that “Maori are unable to elect their own representatives”. But the strong representation of Maori in Parliament demonstrates conclusively that Maori are absolutely as able to get elected as anybody else.
And to suggest that Maori need “their own representatives” in local government implies that what people with a Maori ancestor need in regard to roads, water supply and libraries is somehow qualitatively different from what other New Zealanders need. And that is arrant nonsense.
MARGARET MURRAY-BENGE (Mayoral candidate Western Bay of Plenty District Council)
ON A BANDWAGON
Once again Robin Bell is ‘on the bandwagon’ regarding race relations (The Weekend Sun, August 23).
He lambastes both Don Brash and Margaret Murray-Benge when he states that the Hobson’s Pledge Organisation is ‘distinctly anti-Maori’.
He states Maori have not been ‘assisted in reasserting their fundamental rights’.
In fact Maori have no more’ rights’ than any other New Zealander. The Treaty clearly states that fact. All New Zealanders are equal and under the same Sovereign and flag. We are one.
Over the past few decades Maori have had ample assistance in all areas of modern society.
Most have taken advantage of what’s on offer, a small radical minority have not, and probably never will.
It’s very clear that R Bell has never read the Waitangi Treaty, and if he has then he’s confused and has a distorted view as to what it says.
P KELLY, Te Puna
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
TEACHING NZ HISTORY
It is now being suggested by some university academics that New Zealand history should be reintroduced as a school curriculum subject, as there is ‘‘too much misunderstanding and ignorance about our past’’. Most New Zealanders would support this suggestion, albeit for different reasons.
There is a large imbalance in the way our school-aged children are now being educated, which has, in particular, almost removed any recognition whatsoever of the importance and huge contribution made by those migrants from the United Kingdom, and smaller numbers of other nationalities, who laid the foundation for the way of life we know today. Those migrants, who are our forebears, endured great hardship as they settled and developed this country which we are all now part of.
This, unfortunately, has been overwhelmed and largely lost by Treaty of Waitangi issues, which for many reasons have dominated the learning of our past history.
It is time for the full, factual and balanced history of our country to be taught again without fear or favour. We owe that to our children.
NEVILLE MALE, Stoke
Weekend Sun / Sunlive 30/8/19
MISSION ST
John Robson’s opinion piece (Private advertisement in The Weekend Sun, August 23) is a timely rebuttal of some of the misleading misinformation floating around in etherland [sic] about The Elms and particularly 11 Mission Street, Tauranga.
Robson gives a good, brief, factual summary of the historical background and the current issues.
Mr Mikaere on the other hand does nothing to enhance his self-proclaimed standing as a local historian with his inaccuracies and emotive spiels on the topic.
The position since 2006 is crystal clear – [Tauranga City Council] purchased 11 Mission Street, Tauranga using ratepayer money with the express and stated intention of gifting this property to The Elms in due course and Council has reiterated that promise and intention over the intervening years.
Just stop the twaddle and get on with what is the right thing to do and immediately Transfer 11 Mission Street to The Elms Foundation not to Otamataha Trust nor any other outfit.
Take it from me, TCC ratepayers and citizens have had enough of this council and its antics and hopefully their votes will show this come the October elections.
ROB PATERSON (Chairman Citizens Advocacy Tauranga)
MARGARET RESPONDS
What a dreadful letter from R Bell. How on earth can it be racist to want all men and women to have equal political rights, irrespective of when they or their ancestors came to New Zealand?
If she wants different political rights for people based on their ethnicity, then it is she who is the racist, not me. I want a society where every citizen has the same political rights, and that is what I will fight for whether elected as mayor or not.
She refers to my “disturbing association” with Don Brash and Hobson’s Pledge, for which he is one of the spokesmen. I agree with Hobson’s Pledge’s commitment to equal citizenship, and all New Zealanders should surely agree with that too. Article III of the Treaty of Waitangi quite explicitly guaranteed equal rights to all citizens.
But I am not a spokesperson for either Don Brash or Hobson’s Pledge. I am my own person.
R Bell asserts, condescendingly, that “Maori are unable to elect their own representatives”. But the strong representation of Maori in Parliament demonstrates conclusively that Maori are absolutely as able to get elected as anybody else.
And to suggest that Maori need “their own representatives” in local government implies that what people with a Maori ancestor need in regard to roads, water supply and libraries is somehow qualitatively different from what other New Zealanders need. And that is arrant nonsense.
MARGARET MURRAY-BENGE (Mayoral candidate Western Bay of Plenty District Council)
ON A BANDWAGON
Once again Robin Bell is ‘on the bandwagon’ regarding race relations (The Weekend Sun, August 23).
He lambastes both Don Brash and Margaret Murray-Benge when he states that the Hobson’s Pledge Organisation is ‘distinctly anti-Maori’.
He states Maori have not been ‘assisted in reasserting their fundamental rights’.
In fact Maori have no more’ rights’ than any other New Zealander. The Treaty clearly states that fact. All New Zealanders are equal and under the same Sovereign and flag. We are one.
Over the past few decades Maori have had ample assistance in all areas of modern society.
Most have taken advantage of what’s on offer, a small radical minority have not, and probably never will.
It’s very clear that R Bell has never read the Waitangi Treaty, and if he has then he’s confused and has a distorted view as to what it says.
P KELLY, Te Puna
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers