Flagging it

Seems the assumption by some commenters that the Diva had ordered the Council's flag flown at half mast to mark the death of that well-known despot King Fahd was wrong - and in fact it was none other than the Diva who ordered the flag re-hoisted.

Since repeated and increasingly desperate pleas for a full investigation have been appearing in comments, we've obliged, though frankly we're more alarmed when pants fall to half mast.

Seems someone in central government sends out ideologically-blind notices when heads of state turn up their toes. So whether it's Queen Elizabeth or Robert Mugabe, the people of Wanganui are meant to mourn, apparently.

Council has always rushed to lower the flag on these occasions, but when the Diva saw it on this occasion he went ballistic and ordered it restored to full mast, saying it should only be lowered for prominent New Zealanders.

The two military types on Council (Don McGregor and Rangi Wills) protested and said it ought to be done for significant other outsiders. They rightly pointed out that it shouldn't be an "executive" decision (as the Diva apparently described it in dismissing their protests) but a policy set by the Council as a whole (presumably after the diVisioners have discussed it over a bottle or two of pinot gris).

So we start the week with yet another example of Diva(iant) behaviour - the right decision for the wrong reasons, after riding roughshod over procedure and the opinions of others.

(Our thanks to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage for the useful illustration, If it wasn't for these highly-paid mandarins we're certain no one would know what half-mast actually meant).

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