Readers will recall Whanganui mayor Michael Laws' sharp response recently to some children who sent him letters about the spelling of the city's name. He slated the "deficiencies" in the letter before signing off with the advice that "Controlling your anger might be a start!"
It would seem that this is not the only lively correspondence in which the mayor has been engaging. Below is the correspondence between the mayor and Brendon Madden-Smth, yesterday:
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From: Brendon Madden-Smith
Sent: Thursday, 17 September 2009 5:21 p.m.
To: Michael Laws
Subject: The "h"
Michael
Did you really say that Wanganui is not a Maori word? I appreciate that there are two sides to every argument, and some of the points you have made on this issue are reasonable. But – come on – let’s not pretend that Wanganui is anything other than a Maori word. You run the risk of losing all credibility.
By the way, didn’t you also tell those kids in Otaki that shouldn’t get angry over something like the “h” issue? Now the people of Wanganui (according to you) are “angry, upset and disappointed”. Maybe they should just get over it and start worrying about important issues like child abuse and child murder.
Regards
Brendon Madden-Smith
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From: Michael Laws
Sent: Thursday, 17 September 2009 5:24 p.m.
To: Brendon Madden-Smith
Subject: RE: The "h"
Maybe you should grow a brain … but that’s not likely to happen either, is it?
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From: Brendon Madden-Smith
Sent: Thursday, 17 September 2009 5:32 p.m.
To: Michael Laws
Subject: RE: The "h"
Credibility going down, down, down…..
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On 17/09/2009, at 5:45 PM, "Michael Laws" wrote:
Jerk jerk jerk
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From: Brendon Madden-Smith
Sent: Thursday, 17 September 2009 5:47 p.m.
To: Michael Laws
Subject: Re: The "h"
Wanganui - Red Neck Capital of New Zealand.
I can just about here those banjos now - yessireee.
Brendon Madden-Smith
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On 17/09/2009, at 5:54 PM, "Michael Laws" wrote:
Piss off dickhead & stop wasting the time of grown-ups
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From: Brendon Madden-Smith
Sent: Thursday, 17 September 2009 6:16 p.m.
To: Michael Laws
Subject: Re: The "h"
Na, I'm enjoying this and when you keep making childish and pathetic insults it will make for better reading when I send it to the paper.
Brendon Madden-Smith
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On 17/09/2009, at 6:36 PM, "Michael Laws" wrote:
Threaten all you like sport – it won’t change your IQ or your latent fascism.
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From: Brendon Madden-Smith
Sent: Thursday, 17 September 2009 6:45 p.m.
To: Michael Laws
Subject: Re: The "h"
My theory is that you don't give a rats about the "h" deal. Your gig is to be the "popular" voice of redneck central so you get to be Mayor for a couple more years and live off the back of the ratepayers of good 'ol Whanganui.
Brendon Madden-Smith
(ends)