Letters to the editor: Te reo beautiful and no one is ‘forced’ to learn it

Te reo is a beautiful language, writes one reader. Photo / Getty Images

Thank you to Ian Young (Letters, January 17) for his comments regarding te reo Maori.

Statistics regarding the learning of te reo show a strong increase in the past 20 years. Older people vocal in their resistance have a right to their views.

However, in my te reo class, more than half the students were pakeha, and aged over 50. Te reo is a beautiful language. No one is “forced’' to learn it.

In Ireland, signs are in both Gaelic and English. This applies to many European countries. Learning a new language is an important way of potentially delaying the onset of dementia.

Jackie Evans

Rotorua

A big thank you

I recently suffered a medical event that required an ambulance and a visit to Tauranga Hospital’s emergency department.

The ambulance arrived within 30 minutes (we live in the country) and the two personnel were friendly, professional and efficient.

I went straight into the ED and was very impressed with the doctor and nurse who attended to my issue.

They knew exactly what was required, explained the procedure and attended to it with haste.

A big thank you to those involved for a professional job done well.

I was home the same afternoon.

Leigh Neilson

Tauranga

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