MIGRANT VOTE KEY

CHURCH CONVERSION

I was very surprised to read of the sale of the St Augustine’s Church as it does not seem to have been subject to the outcry over the sale of Presbyterian St Paul’s on the side of Mt Victoria, or the church out in the East Coast Bays contending with parking and other problems.

Both of these had letters to the editor coming in almost weekly. Was the St Augustine sale something that did not matter to local residents and parishioners?

From what I read the new owner is being sensitive in her approach to renovation and appears to be guided by heritage concerns, so all may be well, and that she can carry on. I wish her well. Perhaps it should not be forgotten that St Augustine’s was not only a church building but also a War Memorial for World War One. I wonder how one gets over the right to have a war memorial sold off. Can we ever see the Auckland War Memorial Museum being sold to the highest bidder?

John Webster

Takapuna May I echo what Massey University’s Paul Spoonley says about how important it is for every migrant to vote. Your headline said ‘important for Auckland’ but really it is for the whole country.

Most migrants have more knowledge of dealing with our government’s bureaucracy than native Kiwis and many have experience in other countries of which popular policies actually work and which do not.

The only difference between a migrant and a native born New Zealander is that the former have proved they love this country by coming here and then choosing to stay here.

Very few immigrants will need a workshop on how to vote; to attain NZ residency you have to prove educational attainment and have the gumption to get through the paperwork. Compared to that voting is trivial.

What every voter and especially migrants should be doing now is discussing the policies and the personalities, honesty and competence of the electoral candidates. Bob Atkinson Birkdale

PLANNING PARADOX

There is a paradox in planning in Takapuna. Successive planning studies have emphasised the vital importance to the Hurstmere shops of a good link to the beach but nothing has been done in 15 years. And where is ‘‘The World Class Promenade’’ along the beach called for in the last study?

Now instead of some action on the seaward side of the shops, that might actually benefit the existing shops and the Townscape of Takapuna, we have a proposal to develop the Anzac Street car park for more shops and apartments. The Anzac Car Park is probably, at present, an essential contributor to the economic viability of the Hurstmere shops. And it is the site of the highly valued Sunday Market. Apartments here will virtually sell themselves but would in fact be much better sited on the west side of the Strand to hide the unlovely backs of the Hurstmere shops, and get rid of the awful parked cars.

What Takapuna central needs is: a paved footpath from the Hurstmere shops that goes right down to the beach, one or two cafes down on the beach front, the ‘‘World Class Promenade’’ called for. What Takapuna does NOT need is the development of the car park for more shops.

Denys Oldham

Devonport

HAVE YOUR SAY

Letters should not exceed 250 words and must have full name, residential address and phone number. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or withhold any correspondence without explanation. Letters may be referred to others for right of reply before publication. Email: nsnews@snl.co.nz Mail: North Shore Times, PO Box 79, Orewa.

St Augustine’s Church is being renovated into a house.