"Ridiculous," writes Peter Dey (Letters, July 26) regarding my calling Rawiri Puhirake a warmonger (Letters, July 20). Dey asserts that Puhirake never attacked anybody and therefore is not a warmonger. The definition of the word warmonger is "one who urges or attempts to stir up war". Attacking not required.
"Reputable historians totally disagree" with me claims Dey. Perhaps he could name them so we can evaluate how reputable they are.
I'm happy to name my sources, inter alia – the pre-eminent James Cowan, Alistair Reese's history of Tauranga recently written for the Anglican Church, Gifford and Williams "A Centennial History of Tauranga".
Dey claims that the history written into Treaty settlements support his views. Quoting from the Ngai Te Rangi deed of settlement, "Puhirake and Ngai Te Rangi issued a series of challenges to the the Crown to provoke it into fighting at specific locations".
That, in my opinion, meets the definition of warmongering.
Richard Prince
Welcome Bay
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