Cruises should just stay away
The recent shooting of a polar bear in Norway, by a crew member of cruise ship whose passengers were allowed off the vessel on to the ice, needs to be condemned.
This sorry affair is exactly why shipping companies should not be allowed to offer cruises to areas that are the vital habitat of animal species that are endangered.
Of course these animals see humans as a threat (how right they are) and will attack. That is how they survive.
It was totally irresponsible of the German company HapagLloyd to let passengers get so close.
The cruise companies are doing this only for profit. They should be prevented by the governments managing these sensitive areas from venturing into them.
Environmental agencies should be putting pressure on the governments concerned.
Norway, with its continued hunting of whales, does not have a great ecological record.
Perhaps it can redeem itself somewhat by banning these frivolous tours that are simply aimed at giving passengers some excitement, but at the expense of the animals.
Russell Armitage, Hamilton
Care for city trees
Trees are a valuable aesthetic and environmental component of Wellington’s inner-city streets.
Along The Terrace there are very few trees. The tallest is an old oak close to Boulcott St. It is six storeys high and the size of its trunk indicates considerable age.
This deciduous tree has changing shades of green during the spring, summer and autumn. Birds land in its very high branches. The most notable is the kereru¯ .
Tar seal which is plastered up to and on the trunk does not safeguard its health. There are no provisions to allow rain water into the soil.
Fortunately, the old po¯ hutukawa on the pavement opposite Woodward St is well cared for, as are the po¯ hutukawa outside Radio NZ House.
Let’s save and care for this wonderful old oak even though it is not in the most ideal spot for such a tree, not an indigenous tree and not a protected tree.
Joy Dunsheath, Wellington
Meth mess
Re Housing NZ reopens 100 units (July 30), this leaves me wondering who exactly caused the contamination.
Was it the tenants who had to move out, or were the houses contaminated in some way before the tenants moved in? The answer to this seems to me to be relevant to the disputes, which the article describes, about Housing NZ’s subsequent actions.
Ted Cornell, Waikanae
DHB wastes money
So district health boards decided to club together and waste $90,000 to prosecute New World owners Garry and Bridget Hassler over their visible shelves of alcohol (Aug 1). Wow! Bonnie and Clyde have nothing on these two Dannevirke racketeers.
No matter the legal outcome, for the heavy drinker, the binger, and the weekend partygoer, I doubt any of this would make a scrap of difference to their consumption of alcohol.
If DHBs think having alcohol visible on the shelves in a supermarket is enough to corrupt a community then no doubt there’s been a few tambourines rattled at previous meetings that we weren’t aware of.
They could just allow people to exercise their own judgment on these soul-searching matters. Most of us get it about right. Being adults and all. Kevin Meehan, Upper Hutt [abridged]
Exemplar of service
Greater Wellington Regional Council may well deserve the brickbats received over the planning and delivery of the changes to the bus routes and timetables.
It could learn from the bus company that has taken over operation of the services, which has gone out of its way to address the negative impact on the passengers it serves.
This was clearly demonstrated on the 8.10am 17e service from Brooklyn to the city. The driver of bus 3422 obviously cares about passengers and their needs as he happily waited for me to cross Brooklyn Rd to board the bus rather than simply drive off, as he might well have done.
He drove with care for his standing passengers as we barely noticed his breaking, turns, or acceleration away from stops. He gave passengers time to secure their hand-holds before moving off. This driver is the exemplar of service and driving skill. Keep hiring his ilk.