AUTHOR: Peter Dunne
Following the death of Sir Edmund Hillary, much thought is being given to the best way to commemorate the life of this unique and remarkable New Zealander. What made him so was the extent to which we all saw him as encapsulating the best of Kiwi values. Well, let me link two ideas together. Over the past few years I have been raising the issue of what an appropriate National Day for our country should be. Amongst the various suggestions made to me, has been the persistent suggestion that May 29th – the day Sir Edmund conquered Mt Everest in 1953 – should be our National Day. So, is it now time to revive this idea as the most appropriate way to honour the life of Sir Edmund Hillary?