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Post by Kiwi Frontline on Sept 14, 2019 6:23:24 GMT 12
Dominion Post 14/9/19 DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR During Question Time in the House of Representatives on Thursday, questions put by Paula Bennett to the prime minister were all answered, in her absence, by minister Kelvin Davis. To every probing question put by Bennett in English, Davis elected to reply in Maori. Not only was this rude, but, in the absence of a translation on TV, his replies were not understandable to me and the majority of New Zealanders not fluent in Maori who chose to watch the live broadcast. This behaviour by a senior Labour member of Parliament in response to serious questioning was disgusting. The Speaker is also to be condemned for allowing this situation to persist for the full duration of Bennett's questions. STUART MCKLNLAY, Lincoln The Press 14/9/19 POSITIVE HISTORY Of course New Zealand history should be a core curriculum subject. As Professor Paul Moon (September 13) points out, however: ‘‘Too often, people evoke the history of their forebears as a reason for their current circumstances.’’ The land wars period is an important part of our history but I hope the history curriculum will also cover positive aspects of early interaction between Maori and European settlers such the introduction of new fruits and vegetables, farm animals, textiles, metal cutting tools, and literacy. DAVID W COLLINS, Governors Bay sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
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