FLAG of NEW ZEALAND

114 Heretaunga St East

HASTINGS

Dear Miss Clark 25 MARCH 2002

RE. An Evolution of the New Zealand National flag.

After meeting you breifly for the second time recently at the function you attended with Rick Barker at Duart House Havelock North ,i thought that i would write to ask a few short questions that time prohibited me from asking you on that evening in our wonderful region Hawkes bay.

I along with my wife Beata travelled down from Hastings to Wellington on the 21st of june 2000, so that I Jason Troup could present to you and the New Zealand government one of the first Flag of New Zealand "FLAGNZ" designed flags and to disscuss with you the issues surrounding the evolution of our National flag.

Though our visited was very short and my lack of experiance at asking the the right question at this level may have led to missed opperunaties, i did go away felling that as a nation we do currently have the right people leading this country at the moment and that maybe evey thing can't be acheieved straight away ( first term ), but after if confidence is shown by the people in their governent (second term ) then a new pace and challanges can be looked at. This i am hoping will be the case come the end of this year.

The pace may be slow for some issues like New Zealands change identy but i guess these thing must change of their own accord ,thought i suspect that after seeing the way the country is speeding along since i came home three years ago ,issues like the Flag and Republican debates will be entering the political arenta more frequently over the next term of government.These issue are of course the altermate choise of the people in the end ,yet knowing the kiwi style a community lead may not get of the ground as fast as it should and so a a strong willed future thinning politican may have to take build that solid base for the people to then build apon.

One concern I do have is the fact that there seems to be a set thinking that the issue of evolution the National flag is an after thought/issue once New Zealand has cated off it's motherland and has become a Repubilic. An even more disturbing is the fact that it is publicly being said that New Zealand wont take that step until Australia has done so it's selve. If Trade is the reason behind these two stance i can see Wellington angle, yet for myself i feel that both these issue are more important to the building of the New Zealand phyicy than . Would you sell you sole for a bag of rice? Would you automaticly sell it just because you neighbour has done so?

I think that New Zealand like Canada did along time ago can and should take the Flag step first and that ifn Australia becomes a Republic first then fine but that we should not be governed be their choice, after all becoming a Repubic is all about telling the world that we are mature enough to make our own choices.

I'm sure everything that i have written above you have already thought and descused with others many, many times before,and I can guess that lonegevity in polictics is all about manuvering a round time ,perception and people to finally get to the desisered end results.

FLAGNZ is a reallity that will be relised over the next few years that i am sure. It may be my design or anothers the choice is the peoples .I am one man with a design ,we have produced flags that are now flying not only around NZ but have been purchased and are flying in other countries around the world. We utalise the the avialibilty of the net which puts FLAGNZ out there for the people of NZ to see and to comment on. the true fece of the debate is there and also on the street when somebody comes up to me to ask "hows it goings". And this is what i would like to now ask you.

Can you please tell me where this issue is now, Has any work been done on it at a political level since we first meet almost 2 years ago. If re-relected for a second term will the flag be on the agenda in the 2nd term. What did you really think of my design , Have you seen it anywhere since and what happened to the flag i gave to you that day.

I did very much apricated you meeting with us 2 years ago and i'm sorry for the flurry of question at the end.I wish you al the best for the up and coming election as it is even move important for a small country to have a strong ,fast thinging leader.

Best Regards,

JASON AND BEATA TROUP

P.S. One more thing...... Beata would like to know if there has been any work done in buildin a better relationship wish her country of birth Poland. Thanks and Bye.