HBHS responds

On behalf of the Hamilton Boys’ High School Board of Trustees, I wish to take exception to the opinion article, written by Max Christofferson, that was published in last Saturday’s Waikato Times.

The Pasifika Scholarship that is offered each year has been in place since 2004 and was created by the board of trustees to replace the Ministry of Education scholarship, which was in place prior to this. The scholarship provides an opportunity for a Pasifika student to attend Hamilton Boys’ High School, and to experience life in New Zealand. It is openly advertised and it has provided a very successful addition to our international student family.

Your clumsy attempt, Mr Christofferson, to prove your point by highlighting one student’s story is simply deplorable.

You have done this with no knowledge of Sevu Reece, his background, his drive to win the scholarship over a large number of applicants, his dreams and ambitions, his caring, wonderful personality, the positive attributes he brought to Hamilton Boys’ High School, and the support he now provides for his extended family in Fiji as a professional rugby player.

We are proud to note that Sevu has represented Hamilton Boys’ High School, the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Rugby team, Melville Rugby Club, the Waikato ITM Cup Team and the Waikato 7s team superbly. He may go on to represent New Zealand. Alternatively he could choose to represent Fiji, just as previous student Dominiko Waqaniburotu did, or to represent Australia as another previous student, Henry Speight, chose to do. This is Sevu’s choice, and not yours. Sevu has taken the opportunity to move to New Zealand, and to both thrive in, and contribute greatly, to our shared world.

Hamilton Boys’ High School says to Sevu, ‘‘You have done amazingly well. We are proud to call you a very special Old Boy, and we wish you every success in whatever your future brings. You will always be a part of the family of the school, and we thank you for your amazing contribution to our world.’’

Headmaster Hamilton Boys’ High School

bless the creature before killing it. But in some of our belief systems the idea that we humans are special and different from other animals appears to give us the idea that our brutality is OK!

Cruelty is a human trait! Most other animals kill only for food. I think there are few other animals that are as skilled in cruelty as are humans.

Raglan