Go, Hamish
What funny priorities the Chronicle displayed November 19-20.
Among the biggest, most spectacular events this country has seen for a century, which literally rocked the whole country, and the dear old Chronicle devoted six columns and the whole length of the front page of its weekend edition to stray cats.
The brilliant efforts by our new mayor to bring business to Whanganui, albeit temporarily, just got squeezed into one column, accompanied by the smallest picture on the page.
If Hamish McDouall can encourage Wellington government departments to shift to Whanganui because we have accommodation to spare and they do not, then on a number of levels our city will see a burst of employment and local spending as our "guests" settle into doing their business here.
It then becomes our civic duty to persuade them to stay. Piece of cake, when you compare Wellington's wind, weather, congestion, topography and expense to Whanganui's.
I can say from experience that Hamish McDouall wouldn't come across to Wellingtonians as exploiting their desperate needs for accommodation or commerce. They will be so, so grateful that the provinces are extending the practical hand of friendship.
Go for it, Hamish, with a clear conscience. You are offering what this city can give to people who need it. As I saw in Christchurch after the 7.1 of September 2010, the need becomes more desperate and the gratitude for help received increases as the extent of the damage gradually shows itself to investigators.
Whanganui can altruistically help the Government. They are our brothers and sisters first; we can get back to arguing with them later.
And ... we would be stupid if we did not charge a fair rental for commercial buildings in which business will be done by undamaged, untraumatised people.
STAN HOOD
Whanganui
Leonard Cohen
May I congratulate Kate Stewart on her excellent article concerning Leonard Cohen.
I inevitably have tears in my eyes when I hear Hallelujah. His song Suzanne always reminded my of my departed wife, Jillian (nee Tizard).
Leonard was a deeply humble man who tried to get to the roots of humanity and religion. He abhorred greed and selfishness. He believed in equality and love.
Rest easy, Leonard.
REX HEAD
Mt Wellington
Te reo English
Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell announced, "We must normalise te reo Maori" so that NZers can " ... start their te reo Maori journey."
Perhaps the minister is unaware that not only have non-Maori started their journey but are major contributors to what is now called the Maori language.
When the early colonists arrived the Maori vocabulary consisted of approximately 40,000 words.
It is now probably more than 150,000 words, with the additional 110,000 being variations of the English language, dropping consonants for which Maori had no equivalent and adding vowels at the end.
For example, let us consider the very English name John Hadfield. No letter J in the Maori alphabet, so substitute H. Since all Maori words end in a vowel, let's add an E. Result -- John equals Hone.
Now for Hadfield. HA is OK but no D, so replace with RA; no F so use W; the letters IE become I, and as there is no L or D replace with RA so it ends in a vowel.
So now what do we have? Surprise, surprise -- Hone Harawira, whose given name at birth was John Hadfield.
The same applies to many "Maori" names and variations on words borrowed from the English language.
A few years ago two (no doubt well-paid) Maori scholars proudly announced that they had invented 10,000 new Maori words in the preceding year, those words all being "converted" from the English language.
So, far from preserving the original Maori tongue, we are being fed a conglomeration of two languages rolled into one.
Perhaps part-Maori children attending total immersion schools would better understand the origins of te reo if they learnt the English language first.
MITCH MORGAN
Kaipara
Wrong road
The Ngamahanga Station ["on the Napier-Taupo Rd"] referred to in the rescue helicopter report in Tuesday's Chronicle (November 8), is next door to Timatea Station but on the Taihape-Hastings Rd.
I hope this clears things up.
JOHN WOOLLASTON
Taihape
Wait and see
Isn't it about time the anti-Trump brigade settled down and took The Don's advice and "Stop it"?
It's democracy and it has spoken.
The result of this election was about the message, not the messenger, about draining the swamp, or, as Winston would put it, "to tip the trough upside down".
Trump is pro-life and is not going to change the same-sex marriage laws. Surely not a bad thing, no matter your personal views.
Plus, he is not taking his presidential salary , but only taking a dollar as required by law. As far as the presidential salary is concerned, I can't see any other American politician of any colour being so patriotic and foregoing what they would be legally entitled to.
So let's wait and see. He has given the good old US of A a good old kick up the Khyber, and I feel this may be a significant milestone in the world's history -- and, hopefully, a change for the better worldwide.
A BARRON
Aramoho
Question stands
Well, I guess I should be suitably chastised for my letter concerning the rededication of Sarjeant's grave. I am grateful for the response by Hamish Horsley, which does explain the connection (letters, November 19), although I find it somewhat hard to swallow.
If I interpret his letter correctly, the gallery established by his generous bequest then proceeded, over many years after his death, to display items and exhibitions of a Maori nature. Coupled with this is the comment that the gallery has included Maori protocol and ritual into the various events it hosts.
That the gallery has done so has no bearing on the gifting of funds originally, but is rather an indication of the trend over many years to emphasise the Maori input into every area. To accept this statement, one has to agree that the items within the gallery are attributable to only "European" or "Maori" artists or scholars. This is clearly rubbish.
I accept that the political correctness gurus demand an equally racial-inclined airing these days, but this case falls outside those parameters. Henry Sarjeant expressed no such desire; that approach was instigated by the staff of the gallery over decades, as stated by Hamish Horsley.
My question is still why, when there is no proven historical connection between Sarjeant and local Maori (except by proxy via gallery staff), is there a perceived need to involve a local iwi kaumatua in the process?
D PARTNER
Eastown
Extinctions OK
The Chronicle of November 14 has another of these ever-repeating green left-wing articles that inundate our Chronicle, and which we of other views are not allowed by the editorial staff to comment on.
Margie Beautrais [Conservation Comment] is trying to scare us into believing that our lives are leading to the demise of species we probably don't need any more, but does not offer any clear answer to what she perceives as a problem ...
There will be mass extinctions if we don't chase affluence. Affluence will control the planet's human population.
To achieve this we need cheap energy, in other words, coal and gas-fired power plants that can do just that -- wind and solar are way too expensive and not reliable -- we also need a huge increase in water storage.
If the human population grows to 30 billion we can feed them, but it means lions, tigers, wildebeest, elephants, sharks and dolphins will be eliminated because they compete for our food. Their habitat will be needed for food production.
So, Maggie, instead of trying to spread fear, which is causing our children to see no future, leading to depression and suicide ... come up with some ideas fruitful to our move towards an affluent planet.
G R SCOWN
Whanganui
