How wonderful to find there is still lots of kindness in the world

ON Saturday evening, I was on my way home after visiting my wife at hospital. She had instructed that I stop off at Countdown (Andy Bay) and get something for dinner.

Once I had gathered some tasty morsels, I proceeded to checkout. However, once I had scanned and bagged all the shopping, I reached for my wallet and pulled out my notebook. No wallet!

I had to put my hand up to explain my embarrassment to the staff members. It was too big a round trip to go home because I was getting up at 3.30am for work.

A lovely lady stepped forward and offered to pay the bill. I had to decline her generosity, but it was quite wonderful, her spirit of kindness to a complete stranger.

I noticed her jacket had a logo — Women’s Ice Hockey NZ, and she is the coach. I think I may have just met the wonderful Rachel Park, who has to be the finest ambassador for both her sport and her native Canada.

To complete the story, I drove home and found my wallet at the top of the steps, quite wet from all the rain.

My sincerest thanks to Rachel and to the understanding staff at Countdown.

Lake Ohau

Hugh O’Neill

Pukehiki

GRAHAM Dickson writes (Letters, 22.10.20) that wilding pines allowed the fire to spread into Lake Ohau village, that the nearest conservation land is 2km away, and that pines in conservation land are seeded from adjacent private land.

Conservation land runs right in front of the village — all along the lakefront, full of driftwood which has all gone. Adjacent land on the east side is public land, mostly planted with pines.

The pine seed source for Doc land that Mr Dickson refers to is Doc land further up the lake as the prevailing wind is northwest.

The original seed source is the pines introduced in the 1950s for erosion control up the top of the lake and in Temple Basin.

Large areas remained largely unmanaged until about 2006, allowing seed spread.

The release of calicivirus in the 1990s, coupled with reduction of light grazing in high country, saw an increase in wilding spread. And most of the burnt trees on lifestyle blocks are approved conifer plantings. Bernard Jennings

Wellington

Labour Government

GIVEN the ungracious election night speech by the Labour Party’s deputy leader, the labelling of deer as ‘‘pests’’ by the Prime Minister’s partner (it isn’t deermade global warming) and now the resumption of callous livestock exports a week after the election, it hasn’t been a great start for a socalled kind and progressive administration. R. Hogan Waikouaiti