Kerre Woodham: Drama over a little H

For those of us who don't live in Whanganui/Wanganui, the hysteria over the case of the missing "h" is almost comical.

Michael Laws, the granddaddy of grandstanders, is bringing the same passion and fervour he brought to the campaign banning gang patches in his fair city to the battle of the missing "h".

In the wake of the New Zealand Geographic Board's recommendation that the "h" be instated, Michael thundered: "We can only resist - and prevail". It's a misspelled word, for heaven's sake, not the Battle of Britain.

But, clearly, there are far bigger issues inflaming the tensions that are driving this ridiculous stand-off.

You only need to scratch the surface to find New Zealand's thin veneer of harmonious race relations hides an undercurrent of grievance and intolerance.

Maurice Williamson has the impossible job of coming up with a Solomon-like decision on whether the Government should confirm, modify or reject the Geographic Board's recommendation to add the "h". Whichever way he goes, he'll cop flak. Who would have thought that the job of Land Information Minister would have been so fraught?

Personally, I'm for the "h". It just looks right. And Laws should be, too. The "h" in Michael isn't pronounced either, but it would look jolly funny spelled Micael.

* www.kerrewoodham.com