Letters: English verses should be kept in national anthem

All Blacks Jackson Hemopo, Jordie Barrett, Scott Barrett, Joe Moody, Ben Smith and Sam Whitelock during the national anthem. Photo / File

Re Peter Williams' opinion of te reo or Maori Language week (Opinion, September 15).

He stated drop the English verse of the national anthem and in the 21st century do we really need to be singing about voices entreating, and being guarded from the shafts of strife and war?

I'd like to remind Williams that this precious anthem was written by and for New Zealanders.

God Defend New Zealand began life way back in the early 1870s when newspaper editor Thomas Bracken wrote the words and he offered a prize of 10 guineas for the best musical settings.

This was won by John Joseph Woods, a school teacher at Lawrence. It became a national anthem in 1939.

Has Williams read the words of the five verses of our anthem? What can he have against these words? It's like a prayer; and hasn't God defended New Zealand all these years?

Most people nowadays speak English and can hear and understand what's been sung.

Peter wants to drop the English version and only have it sung in Māori. Why?

The overwhelming majority of New Zealanders do not speak the Māori language, particularly our new immigrants.

At least we sing it in Māori and we get the interpretation in English, which is great. That's how it should be done so both parties are happy and in harmony.

Peter Williams' opinion is certainly not mine or that of many others. Why fix something that isn't broken? (Abridged)

Corrie de Boer
Rotorua

Fruit spiking

There dwells among us an element who take pleasure from the nasty act of putting things in edible commodities, powdered milk was one, now strawberries, apples and heaven knows what else.

A simple sweep with a metal detector would make safe the fruit and vegetables, but it is inevitable that the culprits will be found out.

What happens to them is the important factor. Putting any harmful, life-threatening object into food constitutes an attempt at taking that life, and therefore culprits should be charged with attempted murder. This may deter a few idiots with the same mentality who light wildfires in an attempt to destroy property and life.

Jim Adams
Rotorua