Appalled by move to oust Cromwell chairman

AS a ratepayer in the Cromwell Ward for over 51 years, I am absolutely appalled by what is going on.

Neil Gillespie, under challenge as chairman, has done an excellent job over the years.

Now a cabal of ‘‘newbies’’ and ‘‘Nimbys’’ want to destroy the good work done by many generations of councillors.

Cromwell has always been ahead of the game, which is why it has the best facilities of any town a similar size in New Zealand. It also has the money and assets thanks to the foresight of its council forebears.

Cromwell residents and ratepayers be very, very afraid!

If the group gets its way, the Central Otago District Council may consider the Cromwell Ward disfunctional and strip it of its powers which it has been granted by the council, and take away its power over its assets and money.

Murray Jones Bannockburn Bridge

Forestry

‘‘NATIONAL forestry policy needed’’ says the headline (ODT, 16.7.18).

And it’s about time.

Maybe the media and general public will realise the importance of this sector as a prime producer and income earner.

For starters, here’s a list of the products, apart from the benefits of emissions control under the emissions trading scheme.

Products include building materials, framing, cladding, particle board, mediumdensity fiberboard, laminated beams for highrise buildings, paper, chip fuel for clean energy production, essential oils, garden mulch and various other uses.

Forestry also provides income for landowners and jobs nationwide as well as export income from both logs and lumber. But it could do with more investment into addedvalue processing.

Most forests are listed under the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme on a traceable and sustainable replanting system. A national policy is sorely needed. Jim Childerstone

Hampden BIBLE READING: See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. — Deuteronomy 12:32