'They should be shot': 'shittiest towns' mayors hit back

First Cromwell, now Oamaru and Putaruru.

The mayors of two more towns that feature on the satirical 'S**t Towns of New Zealand' Facebook page have hit back at the page's creator with some attacks of their own.

After having Putaruru described as a town that "only exists to make Tokoroa feel better about themselves" South Waikato District Mayor Jenny Shattock said "the people who write that sort of rubbish should be shot".

"We're confident both Putaruru and Tokoroa are really great towns to live in.

"We have shortages in houses and rentals because of all the people moving here.

"If it wasn't such a great place to live, work and play we wouldn't be having those kinds of challenges."

"This type of stuff is written in ignorance by ignorant people."

The response comes as no surprise to those behind "S**t Towns of New Zealand".

One of the page's creators has gone into hiding after receiving almost 20 death threats over the past two years.

"People have threatened to stab our eyes, throw us off a bridge that sort of thing," says the satirist who asked to remain anonymous.

In the South Island, Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher was also unimpressed with the page's description of Oamaru as "an economically depressed s***hole in fancy dress".

Kircher said most of Oamaru's residents could see the funny side of the page although it was a bit "troll like".

"It's very obviously satire and most people here have found it really amusing."

"The reality is Lonely Planet called us the coolest town in New Zealand for exactly the same reason as [the Facebook page] called us the 's****iest town'.

"We take pride in being interesting and quirky and we have very strong economic growth - the creator [of this page] wanted a reaction and they got a reaction."