Could M. bovis be treated?
The consequences of Mycoplasma bovis infection of our cattle are horrendous – a large cull in the hope the infection can be eradicated. But one wonders whether the prospect of treatment, or even a cure, was adequately explored. Some work has been done on vaccines and the use of phage is a possibility.
Even if these options are too remote to be of use in the current situation, they may be crucial if we are compelled to live with it. Mother knows best, Christchurch. The now Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stated during the pre-election Press Christchurch leaders’ debate “my word is my bond”, yet the article “Input of residents in doubt” (May 25) highlights we may not get a say in spending the promised $300 million despite Jacinda telling the people of Christchurch “you and your city know exactly what your priorities are that is why you will decide”.
The now MP Duncan Webb, questioned about the application process stated “no strings attached”, just vote for Labour. And Regeneration Minister Megan Woods received a briefing in October as incoming minister responsible for the earthquake commission, which under a section titled “Lessons learned from the Christchurch earthquake” emphasised “the need to listen to feedback from the community and engage with them”.
Seven months later Minister Woods and the Labour government have forgotten not only the lessons learned but also the people of Christchurch. I was sad to read Vic Smith’s letter (May 28) and his view of meetings between victim and offender.
While I respect that some people may feel that they do not want to meet the perpetrators of a crime, many others are able to receive benefit from such meetings. It is an opportunity for victims to confront the perpetrator face to face and express their feelings about what happened. For many this goes some way to heal the outrage they have been carrying.
If the offender may hope for a lesser sentence by his or her attendance, I believe he or she is quite likely to be disappointed. The refusal of police administrators to ban their speed chase policy (or rather taking time to appraise each one) is taking more lives every few days.
Young car thieves have not the sense to stop, their excitement simply pushing them on in an effort not to be arrested. Police claim that they re-assess the risk with headquarters during the chase but nearly half the chases are not stopped. Must we point out to headquarters that every chase is dangerous? And every moment of speed is a public risk in respect of both the youths and the police pursuer.
In most Australian states and in the UK a more responsible policy operates – these are not high-degree criminals and left alone they will not crash but sooner or late abandon the car. Must we wait until more horrific losses of life ensue? Jim Rose (May 29) tells us the real reason behind the significant increase in our prison population. Leftists and other misguided persons portray the justice system as overly harsh and believe colonial oppression has led to the high incarceration rate for Ma¯ ori.
Nothing could be further from the truth. As Rose points out, miscreants have to work quite hard to be imprisoned. Judges make all kinds of allowances and usually impose prison sentences as a last resort. Also, often the term of imprisonment imposed is incommensurate with the nature of the offending, particularly violent offending, police use “alternative resolutions” to avoid charging an offender, and we now have marae based justice.