A Lions club in Hawera defended its use of blackface in a parade, saying critics shouldn't be "too precious or PC", then deleted its Facebook page.

The Hawera Mt View Lions Club's float at the Taranaki town's A&P parade on Friday evening featured half-a-dozen people with their faces painted black, surrounded by black and white balloons.

Former New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd called it "absolutely disgusting", and ex-MP and Maori activist Hone Harawira said he wanted to "smash the racist motherf**kers".

"Tonight's Hawera parade showed BLACKFACED RACISTS are well and truly alive!" said Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who uploaded photos of the Lions' float to Facebook.