ACC left on ropes when boxers hurt
It has been widely reported in the media that a blow to the head of someone in a boxing ring is an accident. Many of us were under the impression that hitting the opponent’s head was the main purpose of the fixture. If it was an accident, ACC will pick up the tab and if there is permanent brain damage that tab could be millions of dollars. ACC levy payers will be paying for the easily foreseeable consequences of this piece of latter-day gladiatorial combat.
The fact an untrained, unskilled person can get into a boxing ring at all is bad enough. The fact that such a person can get fixed by the generosity of the community is much worse. My view is that boxing should have gone out with duelling. If duelling comes back as spectator sport would a bullet in the brain of a combatant be treated as an accident?
Bruce Rogan, Mangawhai.
Ban boxing
Very sad to read that “Promoters of a charity boxing bout that left a man fighting for his life say they’re devastated”. Kain Parsons was critically injured fighting former Canterbury and Tasman Makos rugby halfback Steve Alfeld in the Fight for Christchurch event.
Boxing too often results in major head injury or death, often later in life, but in this case the damage was done much sooner. It should be banned. It is not entertainment nor sport, never was, never will be. Murray Hunter, Titirangi.
Needs asylum
I support the call of the husband of Asia Bibi, Ashiq Masih, for Western governments to grant her and her family and their guardian, Joseph Nadeem, asylum in a Western country — urgently. Their lives are in danger following the acquittal of Asia Bibi, 53, a Christian, of a charge of insulting the Prophet Muhammed. Her lawyer has already fled Pakistan in fear.
Asia Bibi and her family’s situation has been made more precarious by the Pakistan Government’s decision to stop her travelling abroad, despite her acquittal, in order to placate hardline Muslims protesting her acquittal.
Genevieve Forde, Manly.
China holding aces
In relation to “Why Trump is winning the trade war with China”, a couple of facts I doubt Trump bothers to remember is that the PRC is probably the biggest buyer of US federal bonds and securities and the current monopoly supplier of rare earths. From those two facts, one is driven to the conclusion they are playing with Trump.
So far they don’t appear to have slapped tariffs on rare earth products, and nobody has mentioned panicked heavily discounted dumping of US federal bonds and securities as being unlikely to ever mature. But Trump’s cavalier attitude to debt is likely to change that.
It may be the best thing that ever happened, Trump pulling the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. If they can’t dump their inflation on the rest of the world the way they did during the 70s, it will be the better for us. Wesley Parish, Tauranga.
Medicinal cannabis
I thank Dr Gulbransen for his letter yesterday extolling the virtues of medicinal cannabis. It is a shame more of his colleagues have not written to support it. As a sufferer of chronic pain, the only cannabis product I can use is the illegal one. I would rather med cannabis, the high from the illegal one messes with my brain.
Robert Sunkel, Napier.
Scooters fun
Boo hoo. People are falling off Lime scooters and hurting themselves. Had they ridden a scooter or even a bike before? How many injuries from how many rides? Unlike cars, it’s difficult to kill yourself. On Sunday, I rode a Lime scooter from Takapuna to the sculpture exhibition at Fort Takapuna, 4.5 km.
The traffic was banked up and I sailed past the cars spewing exhaust fumes. Not a single pedestrian. The footpaths were terrible so it was a bumpy ride. I arrived safely and refreshed, it was fun. How old am I? Only 67. Bring on innovations and stop being a nation of complainers.
Helen Gillespie, Hauraki.
Cross leases
Would all real estate agents take the responsibility of informing buyers of any special rules regarding a property they are selling, such as cross leases? We have spent the year trying to explain our crosslease situation to a non-English-speaking owner and it has been difficult. I visited the estate agent in question, who didn’t want to know. Certain acts have been done without our permission, then it is too late to change. J. M. Page, Browns Bay.
Port’s plan
Ports of Auckland Ltd CEO Tony Gibson’s explanation of the rationale behind its plans for Bledisloe Wharf is not unlike the situation when the old harbour board was so sure its policy of sewerage disposal in the outer harbour was the only path to follow, that before the end of their term they had let contracts and initiated work. This was despite a wide and growing public opposition to this backward policy.
Following the 1953 council elections, Sir Dove Myer Robinson led a new board that took a more forward-looking view. This led to the harbour being saved from future sewage pollution and consigned the incumbent board to history.
The POAL plan is also not the only solution, nor is a 30-year plan a temporary solution. It will affect generations to come. It fails to optimise the financial return and public enjoyment of this space. The addition of a carpark building and the construction of mooring dolphins can hardly be argued as minimising environmental effects or enhancing and protecting a prominent area of the harbour for future generations to enjoy.
Sadly, one can only speculate on the commercial direction and exciting opportunities a democratically elected board that reflected public opinion could have offered.
Neal McCarthy, Auckland Central.
Sanitising talk
Talking about abortion as a health issue is all about sanitising our national shame, where about 13,000 unborn children are aborted, murdered, every year in New Zealand.
We are indeed a schizophrenic people, rushing around saving whales, dolphins and all manner of endangered species yet allow 13,000 unborn lives full of human potential and promise to be terminated.
In all the recent debate around free speech, there is one party who cannot speak and must remain silent, the unborn child. If he or she could speak, their cry would be this: “I would ask you to give me the chance at the life that lies ahead. Good, bad or ugly, just give me the chance. Bear me to full term — and afterwards give me up if you don’t want me — but please give me the chance to live my life.”
Be sure of one thing however; the blood of these innocent unborn lives cries out to God. All the semantics and clever “word play” will not hide this national disgrace.
Shane Kennedy, Wattle Downs.
All Black turnover
The argument for paying more money to keep All Blacks here must be wearing thin after that performance against Japan. Why would we throw cash at older men when there lies so much talent in our youth below?
Rugby players in their 20s, prime years, want to play for the All Blacks. We’re blessed to have them on contract for, say, two World Cup tournaments. George Bridge, for example, will be 24 next year and 28 when he’ll want to be a senior in 2023.
Later, opportunities come their way from further afield. They have wives, a young family, and can give themselves and their loved ones financial gain and worldly experience that most of us can only dream of. Kieran Read wants to do this, and no one should stand in his way.
With a 90 per cent success rate with his team, I don’t think Steve Hansen has a lot to worry about. Shag and his successors are lucky there remains plenty of money and support available at the grassroots of the game, down to children’s level. Glenn Forsyth, Taupo.
Not Kiwis
Have some respect. I was disappointed to watch TV1 News talking about Le Quesnoy and the “Kiwis” who rescued the French town from the Germans.
Why cannot reporters talk about New Zealanders, because that is what they were, soldiers from New Zealand fighting in Europe in the Great War. They were New Zealanders.
Even the Herald cannot refrain from disrespecting New Zealand soldiers by using a slang word. Kiwi are birds.
Val Wightman, Rothesay Bay.