Dame Susan Devoy doesn't seem to have a great sense of humour in wot's white and wot's wong; and when is a joke not a joke.

Maori are sometimes called hauhau or ‘you's' people.

People from the United Kingdom are commonly called Poms, Scots and Hoots Mon.

Irish are named Mickey Doodles, Americans are Yanks, French are Frogs, Germans are Huns, Indians are Curry Munchers, Chinese are Ching Chongs, from the lyrics of a famous song, ‘Chong he come from Hong Kong'. Italians are I-Ties, and there are many others.

A relative of mine served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the war and he was commissioned to fly supplies to the islands.

He overheard an American soldier, sorting out the supplies, call to his mate: 'Who do these supplies belong to?” His mate replied: 'Whats the name on them?” The American replied: 'K 1 W 1 (KIWI) and they are branded with a 'short arse chicken”.

N Tane, Omokoroa.