Letters to the Editor: The correct way to refer to a knight's wife

The late Sir Howard Morrison. Photo / File

I'm no fan of the British honours system, but even I know the correct way to refer to the wife of a knighted man.

In your article, 'Raw' new book lifts lid on Sir Howard, (News, October 21), you continually refer to the wife of Sir Howard Morrison as Lady Kuia.

This is incorrect and inappropriate.

Only a woman who bears a title in her own right may use that title with her first name - for example, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

The wife of a knighted man is only entitled to the courtesy title of Lady in conjunction with her surname.

The wife of Sir Howard should therefore be styled as, Kuia, Lady Morrison or, more simply, Lady Morrison.

The husband of a Dame receives no courtesy title.

The honours system is an outdated relic but while Aotearoa New Zealand still ascribes to it, care should be taken that it is applied according to the well-established rules.

Hone Johnson
Rotorua

Good luck for the next term in government

At the election, about 5.5 out of 10 actual voters but only about 40 per cent of registered voters rewarded Labour-Greens' bungling efforts over the past three years

This outcome promoted many list and electorate candidates above their level of incompetence to the exulted rule-the-roost plateau, no doubt buoyed by failure after failure, the real-life disasters plus the looming financial train wreck caused by the refusal to address serious economic health issues.

Good luck with this lot for the next three years and perhaps even longer - a lesson which should clearly demonstrate to the lost souls the error of their ways as New Zealand drifts toward being the Venezuela of the South Pacific.

At least that gives perpetrators plenty of time for navel-gazing while absorbing the truism that socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of arrogance and ignorance plus the gospel of envy and the equal sharing of miseries by all.

Socialism's main problem is that it eventually runs out of other people's money to spend.

Victims will have plenty of time to painfully reflect and focus on the fact they, as voters, have unwisely acted in haste and can repent at leisure to everyone's detriment.

Good luck coping with the skewed leftist philosophy and supporters need just transfer their wealth and assets to the government for redistribution.

Rob Paterson
Tauranga

The Rotorua Daily Post welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:
• Letters should not exceed 250 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms-de-plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Email editor@dailypost.co.nz