Cruel industry

Iwi should pay

Minister Chris Finlayson is offering a lot of our money to the few surviving part-Moriori because ‘‘ the Crown failed to take appropriate action to stop the treatment of the Moriori’’.

He does not seem aware that this brutal mistreatment was perpetrated by other New Zealand citizens, namely members of Ngati Tama and Ngati Mutunga.

If it is valid today to compensate Moriori then it is equally valid to call the perpetrators of crimes against them to account.

In ‘‘Treaty settlements’’, Ngati Tama have received $14.5 million in cash plus interest and Ngati Mutunga $14.9 million plus interest plus other benefits in each case.

Appropriate fines should be imposed upon them to meet the full cost of compensating Moriori.

It is iniquitous that today’s taxpayers, innocent of these tribes’ crimes, should be expected to do so. Bruce Moon Nelson

I say

Jacinda, there is no I in team. We are hearing lots of ‘‘I will, I can, I have ‘‘ and very few ‘‘ we will, we can, we have’’ .

You have a whole team behind you who put you where you are and it might be nice to be more inclusive of the ‘‘we’’.

Also, nobody needs any more taxes. We have enough already. Joce Matthews New Plymouth Dairy cows who are not pregnant are described as being ‘‘empty’’ and we’re told they’re costing the farmer a heap (TDN, Low in-calf rates cost farmers thousands, August 22)

Well, cows are not akin to vessels. They are intelligent, sensitive mothers who grieve, mourn and feel pain like any other mother.

Given that humans and nonhumans alike evolved from common ancestry, we are not ‘‘superior’’ to other species in any way thus we should not be treating them in such a cruel manner.

If aliens landed and treated human females the way we treat cows - raped them, forced them to endure the agony of giving birth, kidnapped and killed their babies then extracted their breast milk with pumps - then I’m sure people would quickly wake up to the abhorrence of this industry. Jenny Moxham Victoria, Australia

Good nutrition

Well done to Katy Roach from Spotswood for a balanced, factual article on sugar and how to sensibly include it in your diet (Taranaki Daily News, Kai with Soul, Thursday, August 10).

The public is constantly bombarded with mixed dieting messages ranging from the 5:2, Paleo, Ketogenic, no sugar etc.

Diets invariably include foods on the ‘bad’ or ‘no’ list.

For growing teenagers trialling diets that eliminate food groups causes a dietary imbalance that can lead to inadequate nutrient intake, negatively impacting on lifelong bone health status, immediate mental health and lipid profile.

Promoting healthy balanced eating from the four food groups, and teaching teenagers cooking skills that enable them to cook by these principles (such as ANZAC biscuit recipe with half the quantity of sugar) will help them lead a healthier, happier life rather than encouraging the latest fad diet. Jackie Keenan On behalf of Taranaki Dietitians

Plastic wrap

I realise that it is necessary to have the papers wrapped to keep them dry but all this adds so much more plastic to our already overloaded environment.

The charity shops do not find them suitable for their purpose and although they can be used for putting in rubbish in and odds and ends what else can we use them for?

I am making a suggestion that Taranaki Newspapers supply suitable receptacles at vantage points, possibly even your business premises, where bags can be left and it then becomes your responsibility to recycle them. Lesley Rielly New Plymouth