Lime-free visit truly blissful

I have just spent a beautiful, amazing, enjoyable long weekend in Wellington, walking around the city, the waterfront at Oriental Bay, the boardwalk at the CBD, taking in the sights and sounds of Cuba St and Lambton Quay at a leisurely pace. And what made it so enjoyable? There were no bloody Lime scooters terrorising pedestrians. Good on you, Wellington.

Patricia Hayward, St Heliers.

Wrong priority

On Lime scooters, Dean Kimpton, chief operating officer from the Auckland Council, states: “Our priority remains ensuring people who choose to use this innovative new mode of transport are safe.” Admirable, but what about all those people who choose to use the footpaths on a summer Sunday afternoon who may be visually or hearing impaired, elderly, or children practising out in the big wide world? Shall we wear warning signs, or shall we simply stay home feeling like nobody cares? Sandy Garman, Algies Bay.

Clear the drains

With wild weather predicted to hit New Zealand I believe residents should make sure the drains on the road are clear of debris such as leaves and twigs. It might be a council job but they can’t be expected to make sure every drain is clear all the time. History tells us blocked drains can cause bad flooding so I suggest we all do the right thing. Charles Adler, Whanga¯ rei.

Free speech

Excellent article by Rachael Stewart supporting Jordan Peterson’s right to speak here in spite of Auckland Peace Action’s opposition. Trying to shut down a guru only makes the silent majority more interested.

What is it with controversial Canadians? Auckland mayor Phil Goff managed to ban another two, Lauren Southern and Stephan Molyneux from council venues.

Pauline Alexander, Waiatarua.

Tethered horse

When will people realise animals are not commodities? What chance did the miniature horse have if it was tethered and in the dark in a paddock when its attackers began their assault. Surely some form of shelter and protection could have been provided for this defenceless creature. Judy Morley-Hall, St Heliers Bay.

Offside play

Chris Rattue is right on the money with his assessment of why the best team didn’t necessarily win the Crusaders encounter with the Blues. Gregor Paul summed up what ails rugby when he recently referred to the malaise in our game as the “creeping offside”. Referees need to toughen up on their policing of cribbing defences and stamp out what is quite frankly cheating.

Defenders retreating in the face of their opposition must be made to realise they are required to complete the retirement before they can re-enter play. This law is repeatedly ignored with impunity.

All long-suffering rugby enthusiasts want is to watch keenly, fairly contested games and the responsibility for that lies with our referees.

David Andrews, Tauranga.

Use lines for rugby

Backs constantly ignoring the offside rules are ruining the game. A possible solution — white lines across the field, like gridiron. When forwards play between the lines, backs must be behind the closest line. When forwards are over a line backs must be behind the next line back. Easy for sideline refs to monitor. More space for creative back play.

Derek Paterson, Sunnyhills.

Chinese students

If the cancellations from overseas students started before the Huawei episode broke, couldn’t it be that parents who are no longer freely able to emigrate to New Zealand are sending their children elsewhere? Five years ago I received allegations from two students concerned there would be a backlash if Kiwis found out their parents’ decision to retire here was the sole reason why they were all being sent to Auckland to study.

Now the parents’ visa applications are held up, at best, so it is no wonder there have been cancellations.

This information was forwarded to John Key and his relevant ministers on various occasions with no reply. While it lasted, it sure helped Auckland house prices soar. John Rofe, Pakuranga Heights.

Futile quest

The missing cabinet door, the latest development in the Pike River saga, is symbolic of the legal quagmire that lies ahead. With far more complex issues to be resolved, the mere fact that nonqualified people are to gather crucial evidence already gives any defence counsel the ready-made argument that such evidence cannot possibly stand legal scrutiny. The sad truth is that nothing new can come out of the re-entry, let alone a successful prosecution, and the closed mine should remain as the permanent and most appropriate memorial to the tragedy.

Petrus van der Schaaf, Te Arai Point.

Capital gains tax

Despite what some correspondents believe, a capital gains tax is not about whether house prices will go up or down. It’s about a fair and equitable tax system where all forms of income are taxed in a fair way. Not as we have now, where the rich can avoid tax through, for example, property investment, while the poor and middle-income earners get an unfair proportion of tax to pay.

While we’re at it, can we please eliminate the canard that New Zealanders are highly taxed overall — this is utter nonsense. We are one of the lowest taxed countries in the western world.

A. J. Forster, Mt Eden.

Backing Huawei

I am awed by the courage of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei who said there is “no way the US can crush us” and that America doesn’t represent the world. I totally agree. The US is acting the big bully and we all know that sooner or later the bully will be put in its rightful place.

As for the arrest of Huawei’s Ms Meng Wanzhou, what right has the US to demand that Huawei, a business independent of the US, must not have business links with Iran? Good on the UK for not toeing the US hook, line and sinker against using Huawei technology. Margaret Scott, Pakuranga.

Beware of China

My sincere thanks to Professor Bryan Gould for an excellent article about the NZ-China relationship. We cannot afford to trade with China at all costs and let China use trade to dictate all the terms.

Recent history of China’s dealings with other small countries shows its true face behind the soft power. Political turmoil in NZ is exactly what China was expecting when National MPs were invited to visit Shanghai or Hong Kong whereas Jacinda Ardern’s visit was postponed. Anyone who still tries to defend China’s policies should read a well-documented book called Death by China by Peter Navarro published a few years ago.

Manh Bui-Van, Manukau.

Contract broken

I was interested to read your article by Chris Keall about Vodafone inflicting a $3 per month increase on fixed-term customers. I was upset when receiving advice of the increase in my latest bill. On calling Vodafone, I was told because it applied to all customers Vodafone had the right to raise my agreed monthly amount which I had negotiated for two years.

I was then offered the option to exit my contract without penalty. When I negotiated my two-year contract a few months ago I had offers from other ISPs but they are no longer available. I thought it quite ironical a so-called retention team was offering a solution for me to end my relationship with Vodafone who I have been loyal to for many years.

A. J. Dickason, East, Tamaki Heights.

Revenue source

To solve the Eden Park $100 million shortfall, put as many speed cameras as possible on all the 80km/h sections of Auckland motorways, especially at offpeak times. It shouldn’t take more than a month or so. Brian Millar, Titirangi.

Pest control

Spending $20 million on improving a trap is like breeding a new carthorse in 1918. Traps have limited application. They are old technology. There are new technologies that, like the internal combustion engine of last century, are worth financing and developing. To put $20m into the science and technology of making pests sterile would be money well spent. Making pests infertile must be more humane than crushing them to death. The Green Party needs to support research on investigating the promise of genetic modification to give our native species a secure future. Basil Graeme, Tauranga.