Enough of these attacks on Cook’s reputation
I AM sick and tired of the hypocrisy surrounding one of the greatest hydrographic surveyors in history.
It must be appreciated that, in the 18th century, every commander departing on a threeyear voyage of exploration would have known of the murder of Abel Tasman’s men by Maori.
Captain Cook would certainly have been very cautious if a landing crew had been challenged by Maori. As a military commander, he may have fired and asked questions later.
My research into star pillar navigation concepts indicates that the Polynesian settlements of the 13th century were part of an ordered colonisation in which the exploration navigators took information home to Hawaiiki that allowed the eastern Pacific ruling priesthood to assign star pillarderived position lines for settlement of Aotearoa.
Cook was carrying out a similar exploration data survey.
Stan Lusby
Moeraki
[Abridged]
Climate house
I READ with interest that the Dunedin City Council wants to be carbon neutral in the very near future.
Sounds like a great idea but like many of our climate change evangelists, they don’t walk the walk but only talk.
The DCC and the Otago
Polytechnic have invested thousands of dollars in the construction of a climate safe house which, as it turns out, is constructed of polystyrene panels.
How carbon neutral is that? There are much better options available if they are serious about reaching their goals.
I hope they are suitably embarrassed by this hypocrisy and get some real experts to reverse this situation. Mark Brown
Waitati ..................................
BIBLE READING: We live by faith, not by sight. — 2 Corinthians 5.7.
Climate strike
I ADMIRE Greta Thunberg and her passion, and I totally agree with her call for action.
But I would like to add one little proviso. Instead of lecturing old men and women at the United Nations who won’t listen anyway, young Greta should be aiming her fervour at her own generation (and a little older). No matter where they live in the world, no matter what their creed or colour.
Tell them in no uncertain terms to have no more than two children, preferably only one. This is where past generations and religious blather have betrayed Greta’s future.
Until that change happens, and our population — and all the resulting excessive demands on the environment — diminishes, it matters not a jot nor a fig what the old men and women do. Pete Jenkins
Galloway