Tomahawk residents need reliable service
THE recent test of emergency mobile alerts for civil defence is a move forward to creating preparedness and awareness of future civil defence emergencies. However, like all systems it has some way to go to provide the perfect answer.
This is particularly relevant to the lowlying Tomahawk community, whose cellphone coverage is sketchy at best and nonexistent in many cases. This is not greatly reassuring to residents who live in a predicted tsunami area.
For a coastal community that lives so close to the city, the lack of a reliable cellular service and associated infrastructure is very worrying.
Surely, it’s time for telecommunications providers and infrastructure managers to improve the services for this community. With the dire predictions over sealevel rise and storm events, this issue has become urgent.
Paul Pope Otago Peninsula Community Board
chairman
Town hall safety rail
AT A Dunedin Town Hall concert our seats were front row in the gallery.
I was disappointed to have in front of me at eye level a 50mm pipe as an addition to the balustrade.
It was supported by cast scaffolding brackets and fastened to the beautiful polished woodwork with galvanised bolts.
This rail encircles the whole gallery, is intrusive and an eyesore. It obstructed my view of half the stage, including the prized Steinway piano and a large part of the area being used on that occasion by a band. It is an architectural insult.
If it was necessary to heighten the balustrade, surely more appropriate materials should be used such as glass panels supported by polished brass fittings more in keeping with this magnificent building.
William Christie
Gore
[Dunedin City Council facilities, maintenance team leader Mike Carter replies:
‘‘Thank you for your feedback regarding your experience at the Dunedin Town Hall.
‘‘The balcony balustrades have been installed for health and safety reasons, to prevent falls.
‘‘The metal railings are temporary. We are looking at options for a permanent solution and expect the temporary balustrades to be replaced in January.
‘‘Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, which manages town hall events, is working with us to ensure the final balustrade design has the least visual impact possible.
‘‘The health and safety of our patrons must come first, so we cannot remove the temporary balustrade until the new one is ready for installation.
‘‘Please feel free to contact me on 03 4774000 if you wish to discuss this further.’’]
Inappropriate judgement
I WAS dumbfounded to read (ODT,
12.12.17) that a judge (John BrandtsGiesen) had commiserated with a man who had assaulted three people, including his own wife and child, and discharged him without conviction ‘‘even though it may be against the law’’.
The man had intercepted a text between his wife and best friend that suggested an affair.
The judge said many people would have done the same thing . . . and discharged him.
Since when did the law rest on whether one would have done the same thing as the perpetrator? Since when was it alright to beat people up because the assailant thought they deserved it?
Would the judge like to bring back stoning perhaps?
The judge’s trial summation sets an appalling precedent.
Dr Rebecca Short
Invercargill