I read R. Paterson's latest rant with a measure of disbelief. Having been a teacher for 35 years in New Zealand and overseas I read his description of the easy life teachers have and wondered if he's got teaching mixed up with the legal profession since he clearly knows nothing of mine.

My average week was around 60 hours and much of that was before the addition of internal assessment and reporting that is now required. Free periods were often taken to fill in for absent teachers and, of course, primary school teachers would love to have them, but don't. As for George Bernard Shaw's adage, he was talking about music, not school teachers. Class sizes between 23 and 30-get real!

Then I read Don Brash's attempts to turn back the clock and his comment that Pakeha culture 'certainly was vastly superior to Maori culture in 1840” is not only offensive but based on unacceptable ideas of what makes up a culture.

I have three suggestions for both gentlemen: 1 they should get together and write a book of essays and 2.that they should learn to control their prejudices. Failing that they should emigrate to the USA and offer their services to Trump - what a trio they would make!

Neil Munroe