I was saddened to read Colin Bidois' letter. He writes of putting things in the past and moving forward in positive manner, yet he spends most of his letter fulminating about how badly Maori have been treated in the past. I may be able to help him ease the outrage he feels about the Battle at Te Ranga. After Maori success at Gate Pa, where some there were some 111 British casualties, Maori abandoned the Pa and started building a new fortification at Te Ranga. A reconnoitring column, under Colonel Greer, advancing along the leading ridge from the Gate pa, found the maoris hard at work digging their rifle pits. They were not given time to complete the formidable pa contemplated as Colonel Greer decided to attack immediately. Mr Bidois claims that the defenders were unarmed yet historian James Cowan which Mr Bidois seems to respect, as he quotes him elsewhere in his letter, tells how the troops 'charged over the level glacis under a very heavy fire from the Kingite double-barrel guns”. Cowan writes of 120 Maori and 19 British killed. If it the quantum that concerns Mr Bidois then I suggest he reads James Belich history. Belich believes that the Maori casualties were overstated to make the victory sound better and puts the figure at 68.

Mr Bidios writes that he cannot forgive the killing of a forebear nearly 150yrs ago at the Battle of Orakau. My family forbears were pioneers in both Australia and New Zealand and experienced some terrible tragedies. I hold no grudge, it is pointless. It happened in the past, I live in the present, and look to the future. What I can say, Mr Bidios, is embrace forgiveness, it heals the soul and will set you free.

Richard Prince

Welcome Bay