Got a friendly neighbourhood email about looking out for "run down gentleman who has been foraging for leaves" along the boundary of our property & slightly rural (yet Newlands) road this week. It was my dad, dressed in his painting clothes collecting kawakawa leafs for rongoa.

I know it was a well meaning email, but I can& #39;t help thinking it was because he& #39;s Maori.

They were mortified though, when I told them it was my dad who is living with us during Level4

Sis tells me her Whitby neighbours got a similar friendly email warning locals about a Maori male matching the description of their son walking the streets of Whitby