Te reo not a priority
Tommy Wilson wants us all to learn te reo (Opinion, September 11).
Why not teach young people to speak English properly first and, then if they want te reo, later.
He thinks once we learn this language we will pronounce Māori names correctly.
Why do TV newsreaders and sport commentators continue to pronounce Wanganui as Fonganui, totally incorrect? Waikato as Waicarto, and so on?
In my opinion, nobody who lives in these places pronounces them like this and the rest of us don't either.
Neil Harvey
Welcome Bay
Māori wards a no
In spite of the overwhelming results in the Māori wards referendum from the people he has been chosen to represent, 78 per cent against them, the mayor, Garry Webber has, in my opinion, chosen a reprehensible path to give powers in decision making to unelected Māori by creating new committees for them.
Is that the office for which he was elected?
Mr Webber, what do you see as the requirements of your office?
To carry out your mayoral duties to satisfy the will of the constituents who appointed you and who expressed their wishes comprehensively in the poll on Māori wards, or is it to gratify your ego by carrying out a personal agenda and to appoint unelected Māori to advisory positions on new committees?
Bryan Johnson
Ōmokoroa
