To S Reid of Omokoroa (The Weekend Sun, November 29, page 49) I want to explain what the Treaty of Waitangi means to me.

Having been elected to Local Govt in 1977 when I was the second woman ever to be elected to a district council Waimairi with a population of 74,500, what was always and still is today on Western Bay District Council, is Article 3 of the Treaty which was such a globally enlightened document in 1840 and made all people living in New Zealand equal with British subjects. Before the law that still stands.

Eventually we women got the vote and last term, I was the only woman on council and now we have four. One can get a very large vote from the voters and one can have enormous experience but if the Mayor chooses, he has the power to bury one which he has done to me—no chairmanships and being the most experienced and qualified, nothing counts if the leader chooses. So Mr Reid there are times when equality doesn't mean a thing to some, but that is no reason to give up as there always so much to be done.

M Murray-Benge, Bethlehem.