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Surprisingly vibrant city

Stand up and take a bow, Palmerston North!

We have spent three very enjoyable weeks in your fair city, as visitors from Hawke’s Bay, while one of us has been having treatment in the local hospital.

One of us was born here, but left 50 odd years ago.

The other has only been through a few times on fleeting visits.

Neither of us knew what quite to expect, and have been more than impressed with what we found a vibrant, multicultural city, with heart and soul, blessed in the arts, and such talents.

There are excellent cafes, plenty to do, see and hear, great little walkways (could be better signposted), courteous traffic, especially to pedestrians, friendly people – perhaps a microcosm of the New Zealand of older, more egalitarian times, without being stuffy or backward?

And what a library! Love The Square with its European feel, apart from the intrusive traffic.

Any quibbles? Surprised that with your flat and easy terrain, there aren’t more walkers and cyclists – your city really lends itself to them.

What’s with all the privet trees – noxious weeds – particularly if you have hay fever/asthma?

Anyway, to the wonderful staff at Ozanam house, and the superb staff at the hospital, our deepest gratitude.

And to our fellow travellers on the treatment odyssey, your courage, grit, determination, honesty, humour and sense of community are the qualities which built this country, and will continue to, despite the politicians, bureaucrats and those who dodge paying their fair share. Kia kaha! JEREMY & ANNIE DUNNINGHAM Napier

No spark at all

Can I back up a letter written by Ben Bush of Wellington [Standard, February 21]?

I have had a gutsful of Spark’s service – there is none.

No one gets back to you, so I have to get back to them and explain everything all over again.

My phone was out of order for 36 hours and they changed my number without telling me, and I was offered a $5 discount.

What an insult and thank God I check my account, mistake after mistake, and I told them in a big way.

I am a very loyal person, but I’m ready to pull the plug on them and I bet I’m not on my own.

Lift your game, Spark. GARY STEWART Foxton Beach

All about the music

Good Lorde, anybody who makes music, no matter what genre, is creating magic in my opinion.

The advent of the internet means we are flooded with choice and its grist for the mill for armchair critics.

I remember simpler times when the availability of music was limited to Elvis Presley or Cliff Richard flicks and the middle of the road sounds from the couple of state-run radio stations.

Back in the 1960s I had the privilege to be involved with the Wellington jazz scene via the-then members only Wellington Musicians Club.

The club was a haven for working musos who played the dine-and-dance scene in the capital over the weekends.

When their gigs finished, around midnight Friday or Saturday nights, they would arrive at the club ready to drink and let their hair down playing the music of choice, which was jazz.

I lost count of the lost weekends I spent listening to the sounds which helped shape my tastes in later life.

Through the club I met jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and their bands to name just a few.

And thats not to mention some of the great New Zealand musicians who during the day were shop managers, plumbers, car salesmen, housewives, members of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra or just plain musical outlaws like Bruno Lawrence and Geoff Murphy.

Precious memories of a time when making music was the motivation and not the demands of today’s information highway. MARK WAHLBERG Pahiatua ❚ Say what you like about Winston Peters; at least he cares about our country. CS ❚ Have to wonder what happened to all the sheep poo from running of the wools. Whether they hosed the road or let the rain do it, still be going into waterways. Can’t blame dairy farmers 4 it this time. ❚ What a waste of money thrown at organisations to pussyfoot with beggars, what’s the difference from them and sandwich boards causing obstruction on footpaths? Toughen up council! ❚ Awesome Vera Lynn, 100 year birthday tribute concert at Regent. Huge thanks to Vicki Lee & all her guest singer friends. Great voices & songs. Well done. ❚ Looking at the flash flooding in Auckland, the PNCC need to clear up all the small urban streams and culverts that crisscross the city. This will prevent urban flooding. ❚ C Rembrandt digitalised paintings exhibition at Te Manawa well worth seeing. A brilliant artist. Some works never seen before. All lovingly restored in such detail! Julie ❚ Nehe Milner-skudder a great talent, but sadly injury prone. ❚ Each week I live in hope that Mr Hehir will submit his National Party to the same critical scrutiny as every other political option.

A big thank-you

On behalf of Shannon Progressive Association thank you to all those who contributed to and participated in the Supercheap Auto Spectacular Car Show held at the Shannon Domain on February 19.

We especially thank the team from Levin’s Supercheap Auto who not only sponsor prizes, but who also voluntarily turn up on the day to help us.

Thank you HDC for a marketing grant and for your help with the infrastructure.

Thank you Shannon Rugby Club, Shannon Bulk Haulage and our wonderful Shannon Volunteer Fire Brigade for the parts you play and especially to the volunteers of Shannon Progressive Association who did so much on the day.

Shannon’s school, Playcentre, fire brigade and Progressive Association all raised funds on the day so thank you for bringing your cars and coming to our show.

We are proud to be part of a community working together. JANETTE CAMPBELL Secretary, Shannon Progressive Association