Change the name

Tommy Wilson's arrogance in wanting to change the name of Greerton is breath-taking. He doesn't say why the name should be changed. Although he glorifies Maori having repelled the first assault by the British at Gate Pa I suspect he doesn't like being reminded of the disastrous defeat that followed at Te Ranga.

There is no historic evidence that supports his claim women and children were killed at either Gate Pa or Te Ranga. Is it a figment of Tommy's imagination or a disingenuous attempt by him to blacken the reputations of Greer and Cameron? Tommy advocated ‘in depth' consultation with Ngati Te Ranginui and Hapus. The views of Greerton residents and the wider Tauranga community are it seems to be of no consideration.

These battles would not have happened if the Ngai Te Rangi chief Rawiri Puhirake had not challenged the British to a fight. He even built a road to his Pa so the British would not be too tired to fight when they arrived! He got his wish when he moved to Gate Pa. He died at Te Ranga. He is remembered by having Puhirake Crescent at The Lakes named after him. Should this be changed?

Richard Prince, Welcome Bay.

Tommy Wilson responds:

It is never too late to right the wrongs of past ‘honourable' leaders of our communities and country.

Most recently there is Ron Brierly; who has had his knight hood stripped and there are calls to have the street named after him changed.

And so, too, can the names of those who butchered innocent woman and children for no other reason than they wanted to live on their ancestral lands.

Maori have given and shared everything they have and had from the time my Caucasian and French ancestors showed up here in the early 1800s, and still it wasn't enough - so troops were sent to take the rest.

Now we have inter-generational poverty inherited from what they had being taken by stealth.

If you would like to rewrite history - go ahead. For me and my mokopuna, I will stick to what reputable historians on both sides of the cultural coin have written, and teach them this.

May I humbly suggest to all readers to Google both Colonel Harper Greer and Henare Taratoa and then make up their own minds.