TO THE POINT

Old words of wisdom for our starstruck mayor and councillors: ‘‘The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of the public moneys.’’ (Thomas Jefferson, 1808). Leigh Thomson, Khandallah

I don’t support tipping to Uber or anybody else in NZ. It is not part of the culture. People get paid to do a job here.

Peter Petterson, Lower Hutt

I find Gavan O’Farrell’s comments about secularists claiming to represent “higher morals”, (Letters, March 1) rather ironic, considering not only recent events in Australia but centuries of atrocities committed by the Catholic Church in the name of an assumed higher moral position. Kevin Bateman, Lower Hutt

Everyone can complain that they pay tax, but the reality is that the bottom 45 per cent of Kiwis are taxneutral. They pay tax, but their claims and rebates mean they end up contributing nothing. We need the higher earners and wealthy who pay the majority of tax. This applies around the world. These people are mobile, so be careful what you wish for.

Leith Gunn, Eastbourne

Elizabeth Malcolm and Jim Coyle (Letters, Feb 28 and Mar 1) oppose Eugenie Sage’s ban on GE research in New Zealand. As an ecologist, I support this ban. New research by Kimberly Cooper’s team in California has shown that the gene-drive technology used to eliminate insects does not work on mice. If these GE-modified mice had got loose in New Zealand, we would have had a gene-drive resistant population that could not be exterminated. Far better to wait until current American and Australian researchers develop a fool-proof gene-drive. In the meantime, we benefit by having clean, green GE-free exports. John Flux, Waterloo

They tell me you shouldn’t eat at night if you want to get a good night’s sleep (Catch-up sleep-ins won’t undo shortfall, Mar 1). But if I wasn’t suppose to get up and eat at night, why is there a light in the fridge?

Roger Wright, Hastings