Police not at fault on teen trio

Whenever parents lose a child — in this case two — they deserve the greatest of sympathy. In the Christchurch case of the two brothers aged 13 and 16, plus another 13-year-old, there are a few sad facts.

The car was stolen. This was not the first time. They were pursued by police. Not for the first time. They refused to stop. They were speeding. They crashed.

The boys’ father said, “They were just boys doing what boys do.” Really? The father also said, “It’s not relevant. The police killed my kids.” Really?

Dennis Ross, Glendowie.

Cyclists irresponsible

Less than a week ago I was walking my dog down the bottom of Bayswater Ave, approaching the traffic circle, when I heard a group of approximately 20 lycraclad cyclists screaming a warning to each other about a car approaching the traffic circle with the right of way.

The cyclists came out of Marine Parade with total disregard for the road rules, forcing the driver of the SUV to slam on the brakes to avoid what could have been a bloodbath.

The remaining cyclists did not even attempt to stop, as they should, and allow the SUV to continue through the circle. They went up Bayswater Ave, past me, laughing at the incident.

They can thank their lucky stars it was not me approaching that circle with my old, hard Land Cruiser, as my reflexes may not have been as quick as the SUV driver’s.

This incident could easily have led to the death of one or more of these cyclists. When will they understand that they are not on their own little Tour de France and start abiding by the road regulations?

You can bet that there are a few of these dads that are passing these bad habits on to their children who are starting the sport of cycling.

My wife and I enjoy the odd spot of cycling and we always abide by the road regulations.

Ian Cunningham, Bayswater.

Aussie benefits real?

Why does Deidre Samson refer to New Zealand as home when she raves about all the benefits that she receives in Australia?

What has she contributed to their economy when she has only resided in Australia for three years?

I have a sister aged 63 who has resided in Australia since she was 19 or 20 and is unable to receive a sickness benefit. Her partner is a natural-born Australian citizen and is also unable to get a sickness benefit. They have both worked and owned a business until the past three years.

Ms Samson is either scamming the system or my sister and her partner are not getting their full entitlements.

Marie Kaire, Ngararatunua.

Brexit vote all political

Through media reports from Britain we have been able to experience the very worst of politics. Some time ago the British people voted by majority, a small one admittedly but a majority nonetheless, for Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May was not personally supportive of Brexit but she faced up to her obligations as Prime Minister to deliver to the people what they had voted for. As part of this process there came to pass what has since been referred to as the “Brexit deal”, which is what the British Parliament soundly rejected this week.

What is interesting is that the Labour Party's contribution to the rejection had nothing whatsoever to do with Brexit. It was about no more, no less than a political party desperate to try to force a general election via a vote of no confidence, rejection of Theresa May's proposal being part of that strategy.

At the same time, the split in the Conservative ranks had nothing to do with Brexit either. It was about a power struggle between those who think they have it and those who think they don't.

Meanwhile, the victims of all these political shenanigans are the people of Britain, who are now going to get what they paid for, so to speak, by having to live with the outcomes of decision-making by all the self-serving politicians they collectively elected in to Parliament.

Phil Chitty, Albany.

Guard our future

Reading Greg Bruce’s Canvas article on Anne-Marie Brady (January 12) persuaded me to go further and read her paper, Magic Weapons, for myself. It is disturbing and deeply concerning and reading it has convinced me that New Zealand is moving towards a future that none of us would choose. Throughout history countries have been bought or simply taken for their assets — not us. Any true Kiwi, of whatever origins, should read Magic Weapons, discuss it openly and look carefully at what could be in store for the generations yet to be born.

We need to become informed, speak out and involve ourselves in guarding our future. The powerful and the politicians are easily dissuaded because of shortterm political and financial gain but they will listen if the people speak.

The Herald is speaking out, hopefully other media will follow and change will begin.

Mary Pedresen, Remuera.

Take the lower deck

Kathryn Mansell moaned about the bus moving off towards the next stop while she hobbled down the length of the bus, desperately clinging to the railings while she crawled up the flight of stairs, then slowly made it down the upper aisle to her seat, while the bus proceeded along Manukau Rd.

My advice to Kathryn is not to criticise the driver who has a timetable to adhere to, or demand he remain stationary at the stop while she spends about five minutes crawling to a seat upstairs, but to take a seat on the lower level.

Please have some thought for other passengers.

Ron Davis, Albany.

Tell the politicians

There have been a lot of letters expressing outrage, indignation, anger and more about the group of tourists and their appalling behaviour in New Zealand at the start of what they call their “trip of a lifetime”.

This response from the public is quite understandable and, it seems on reports of the behaviour, justified. Many correspondents asked questions about deportation and other legal matters in their letters.

Can I suggest that these correspondents also send questions to both the Government and Opposition asking what solutions are available and what further measures they propose for this sort of unacceptable tourist behaviour. For example, a 28-day period to appeal a deportation in this case seems far too long.

That way some action might occur. Raising questions in letters to the newspaper will not.

Concerning the ratbag tourists, I hope this will be a trip of a lifetime from which they learn something. Manners for a start.

Russell O. Armitage, Hamilton.

A museum on the sea

Brian Rudman’s idea that we might need an ark to preserve our national treasures (January 16), reminded me of a suggestion I once made to Bill Rowling, who was at the time the chairman of the committee looking into the development of the national museum, Te Papa. I suggested that the ideal structure for the institution would be two matching super-tankers joined by a large deck to make an enormous double-hulled waka. It could have moved around our coastline and been a truly national institution. Due to a total lack of foresight this idea was never adopted — surprise.

J.W.Haldane, Whakatane.

Turtles are a threat

Abandoned pet turtles have the potential to become a serious pest species. An increasing number are surviving and breeding in wetlands in warmer parts of New Zealand. We have just found a turtle nest beside a pond in a wetland reserve in Tauranga and regional council staff are coming to collect the eggs. These eggs may not be viable but baby turtles have hatched from eggs found in Northland and the Coromandel. As climate change brings warmer summers, more and more abandoned pet turtles will survive and could breed in ponds and wetlands.

Have we learned nothing from all the ill-considered introductions of the past? While we don’t know what the impacts of turtles may be, there are some clues. The red-eared slider turtle — the turtle in question — is ranked among the 100 most invasive pest species in the world. It can live in wetlands, ponds, drains and brackish estuaries. It can eat almost anything; plants, invertebrates, little fish and the eggs of water birds.

Our wetlands already face many threats. They don’t need another.

Ann Graeme, Tauranga.