The summation by R Paterson (‘Overkill on Gate Pa battle?', The Weekend Sun, May 2) has it pretty well sussed out.

Gate Pa was little more than a half-day skirmish. NZ Government troops stormed the site and were initially repulsed by Maori defenders, who fled overnight. So one would say it was a victory for NZ Government forces.

This is a non-event even by Kiwi standards, but when it is compared with the 480BC Thermopylae Pass defence by 300 Spartans versus a limitless Persian Army (perhaps a myth also), the 1966 defence of Long Tan, Vietnam, by the Australian 100-man platoon versus 2500 Viet Cong. The Aussies won this. Then there's the 1836 Alamo siege of 100 Texans versus 1500 Mexican troops, 1879's Battle of Rorke's Drift of 100 British and Colonial troops versus 3000 Zulus. The Brits won this.

These battles see Gate Pa simply fall into the 'a blip on the radar” category, paling into insignificance, with what is probably one of the shortest encounters on record.

Looking at the recent Gate Pa hijinxs, we have a line of five totem poles, one charred pou and April 29's traffic shambles caused by closing off of Cameron Rd – Tauranga's main arterial route – and the inordinate delay in opening Greerton Hall exhibition.

So for taxpayer, community and ratepayer funding, and after years of planning, what we got was 13 days of feting and cannons blasting. Whoopee doo.

G Kelly, Papamoa.