Tree cull seems like vandalism
What a surprise it was to see a small team of men in bright jackets, with heavy machinery and a large helicopter, arrive on the summit of Mt Wellington today. Their mission soon proved to be the removal of three wonderful mature trees which gave great style, shape and beauty to the skyline. This was the backdrop to the new suburb of Stonefields . . . a striking feature of our landscape and suddenly, without any notification, it is no more. Right now at a time when the Government talks about planting millions of trees throughout New Zealand someone has decided that our stunning backdrop and other trees on Mt Wellington should be attacked with chainsaws. Seems a lot like council-sanctioned vandalism to me. Wally Hirsh, Stonefields.
Windsors’ character
Two things stood out for me at the wedding between Harry and Meghan.
The first was Harry’s genuine emotional response to the wedding vows.
The second was Charles stepping in to support Meghan, as well as her mother, who looked very lonely and nervous.
When people praise the princes, they give full credit to Diana and I believe she started the process. However, looking at how respectful, supportive and united the family were at the wedding, I believe Charles has been a positive role model for the two boys. He has matured since the days of his marriage to Diana. Life holds lots of trials and it is good to see that the Windsors have come through theirs and are stronger for it. Sandra Hansen, Hastings.
Fighting Mycoplasma bovis
The Government has released its first Budget and farmers are outraged the taxpayer is paying such a small amount to fight the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. This would be the same outbreak that has spread so rapidly thanks to only 30 per cent of farms adhering to the NAIP programme designed to stop its spread.
As our farmers expect New Zealanders to pay “international market” prices for the dairy products produced here, would it be unreasonable to expect our farmers to approach the international market for assistance?
Killer’s incarceration
In 1999 a vicious, law-breaking thug beat and kicked a lone man to death, who also happened to be a uniformed police officer. The fact that the officer’s partner is concerned that he has not yet been released must be considered surprising to most of us as; he is a proven callous killer and still considered a risk, still has anger issues and had to complete a drug course in jail which obviously means he was using while inside. No mention has been made of this guy showing any remorse or saying “sorry” to anyone for ending the life of a good human being. With all this said, he seems to be a great candidate for permanent confinement. Paul Baker, Waitakere.
Mental health comments
After months of ignoring the existence of mentally ill New Zealanders as potential victims of his End of Life Choice Bill, David Seymour has finally broken his silence.
But not to support them! No, far from it — he is anxious that new social housing residents may soon arrive to sully the rarefied atmosphere of his leafy and affluent Epsom constituency.
His flyer to current residents suggests that the “social and mental health issues” suffered by new residents make them totally unsuitable as his constituents.
Seymour stands by his letter in the face of criticism, claiming he is only “telling it like it is”.
That is exactly what submitters to the Select Committee considering the euthanasia bill are doing — pointing out that there are vulnerable New Zealanders who will be in danger of such a law.
It is obvious from Seymour’s comments about those with social and mental health issues that he does not live in the real world and lacks the understanding of true compassion. Deborah Scott, Waitakere.
Autism spectrum treatment
I think it is time an alternative treatment for autism was investigated. While I was teaching in London a few years ago now, I was invited, with a group of psychologists, to observe the treatment of a young French teenager at the Burghwood Environmental Clinic in Surrey, England.
Low-dose immunotherapy meant that this boy was testing basic foods, one at a time, to find his neutralising doses. His mother sat on one side and his father the other. If a dose was too strong or too weak, it was soon evident why both parents were there to restrain him. As his neutralising dose was reached, he got on with homework and spoke fluently in either English or French.
At the end of the day, this teenager hugged his nurse. We were then told that he had been in a home for incurables as he could only nod and rock. His parents brought him over from France regularly as his food doses often changed but he had caught up academically and passed his peers at school.
Over the years I have helped many children on the autistic spectrum. Sometimes all that was needed was a diet avoiding harmful additives and water only. I can remember asking a parent whose child did not seem to respond to a five-day/forever additive-free diet, what she gave her daughter to drink. After five days without fruit juice (too much salicylate) this girl was able to live without four ritalin a day and disrupting her classroom.
When I read articles describing how some children with autism are handled in our schools, I feel very sad — especially when junk food is described as a great way for them to relax.
Low-dose immunotherapy is an inexpensive way to really make a difference for those on the autistic spectrum. Several years ago it was available in New Zealand. Julienne S. Law, Kerikeri.
Effects of whistle-blowing
More than 25 years ago the British Medical
Journal published a now frequently quoted paper ( K.J. Lennane BMJ 1992) on the disastrous effect whistleblowing had on those brave enough to speak up.
The State Services Commission and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner should note that the study reported more than a third of such people had suffered dismissal or had taken early retirement. They had suffered significant stressrelated illness, were burdened by severe financial loss and their children had been seriously and adversely affected. In a related editorial the journal concluded that whistle-blowing was “a curse on ineffective organisations”.
The law should ultimately serve the people, not the interests of large enterprises. Whistleblowing should prompt scrutiny of business practices rather than undue exposure of those willing to say what should and needs to be said. Patrick Alley, Epsom.
Ominous Iran speech
Mike Pompeo’s speech about Iran has a dark historical ring to it. Remember the speech by Vice-President Dick Cheney that began the preparation for the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Remember also speeches by Hitler’s foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop that prepared the way for the German and Soviet invasions of Poland in 1939 that led to the start of World War II.
Now, in 2018, the war drums are again rolling. Trump clearly wants a war. Curses on him and all his henchmen.
One hopes they may yet see reason in time. Rinny Westra, Birkenhead.
Getting rid of plastic bags
I cannot fathom why we are still debating the issue. I have on occasion been the receiver of an unwelcome bag and have immediately said “no plastic thanks”. Heaven forbid if I inadvertently leave my shopping bags in the car, I simply tell the assistant to place shopping directly into trolley and pack it myself when returning to my car. Judith Bouwman, Torbay.
Council information
In her opinion piece it is quite incredible of Penny Pirrit, who is in charge of regulatory services at Auckland Council, to be holding resource consent applicants to account on the quality of information provided to council.
In an early version of a development at Orakei Point she supported, a concept drawing on the council’s own website showing the Ngapipi Rd bridge on Tamaki Drive completely missing so large ferries could traverse from open waters to the mudflats beside the site edge, to berth at a jetty for passengers. When challenging this and other inaccuracies in the plans, submitters were told to use their imagination.