Put glyphosate findings in New Zealand context
THE recent finding about glyphosate, in an American court, must be looked at in the New Zealand perspective.
For years before glyphosate was introduced, we had to use very toxic chemicals to do the task that glyphosate now does. The three main ones in use were sodium chlorate (just google ‘‘exploding trousers’’), arsenic (speaks for itself) and paraquat (no known antidote).
Users of agchems have no desire to have to rely on these chemicals again.
Monsanto is responsible for genetically modifying desired plants so that they are resistant to glyphosate. An overall spray on to these crops as they grow will then kill all vegetation except the modified crop plant.
This method of broadcast spraying does not occur in this country, because we do not permit the importation or sowing of any plant material that has been modified for glyphosate resistance.
Therefore, in this country at least, we can breathe a bit easier knowing that it’s unlikely our food crops have been contaminated with glyphosate.
And the applicators who handle what glyphosate is sprayed have all been made well aware during the course of their training of the hazards involved in handling chemicals such as this. Trevor Norton
Temuka
Which organ is best?
I AM intrigued by the recent TV publicity given to Norma, the pipe organ in the Dunedin Town Hall.
I am no organ expert, but I have always understood the Willis organ in St Paul’s Cathedral next door to the town hall is a superior organ, possibly the finest in New Zealand.
According to the specification detailed in the cathedral, it has ‘‘4 Manuals (Great, Swell, Choir and Solo), and 3500 pipes.’’
How does Norma compare?
David Tucker
Mornington [Dunedin City organist (and St Paul’s Cathedral organist 19992011) David Burchell replies:
‘‘The St Paul’s Cathedral organ is certainly a very fine instrument, but making a direct comparison between the two is like comparing a RollsRoyce with a Ferrari — both are excellent but each has its own distinctive qualities.
‘‘The two instruments have very different tonal palettes and play into different acoustics. They are almost identical in age and size: a significant part of each dates from about 1919, and both have four manuals (keyboards).
‘‘While St Paul’s has marginally more pipework, Norma — with about 3200 pipes — has more large bass pipes. ‘‘Norma’s particular distinction is she is virtually unaltered tonally since her installation in the hall in 1930, which can be said of very few other concert hall organs of her age internationally; the St Paul’s organ was rebuilt in 1972 by the South Island Organ Company of Timaru.
‘‘Anyone wishing to enjoy Norma should mark September 2 at 3pm in their diary, when international prizewinning New Zealander Thomas Gaynor will be performing.
‘‘As to which organ is the best in New Zealand, that is a matter of personal taste, but two very exciting new instruments have recently been completed in Auckland — at the Town Hall and at Holy Trinity Cathedral, both of which are larger than St
Paul’s Dunedin or Norma.
‘‘But size isn’t everything.’’]
Thanks from CF Otago
THANK you to the people of Otago for your generosity during last week’s Cystic Fibrosis Otago street appeal.
More than $12,000 was raised, which will help pay for essential medical equipment and provide support for people in Otago with cystic fibrosis.
Thank you also to our amazing collectors for your time and for braving the cold to help make the collection such a success.
Camilla Cox CF Otago Fundraising coordinator