What about other constituents ?
Yesterday’s front page story regarding Poto Williams’ office move to Eastgate Mall was disappointing. Not for the criticism - every MP should be subject to scrutiny and accountability - but for the onesided nature of the reporting. Where were the comments from people living in her electorate who will now be able to bus there? What about some numbers of foot traffic in Eastgate vs foot traffic in New Brighton? What do people from the other suburbs in Christchurch East think?
I declare my own conflict of interest: I live in Christchurch East, and I know Poto Williams personally. This is how I know her motivation is underpinned by principles of fairness and a relentless dedication to serving the Christchurch East community.
Central New Brighton is very important, but the MP has been based there for many years and there are other suburbs less well-served for which she is considering accessibility: Aranui, Parklands, Waimairi, Prestons, Marshlands, Burwood, Shirley, Wainoni and Linwood.
Sarah Whitcombe-Dobbs, Burwood
Cathedral thoughts
I would like to apologise to the good people of Christchurch about my thoughts on the damage to your cathedral.
I read with interest Sam Neill’s comments and ideas he put forward for the repurposing of the cathedral and frankly I agreed.
As a visitor to your wonderful city in the last couple of weeks I was very aware of the hurt you have endured since 2010. Visiting the Botanical Gardens last week reinforced it to me again.
Watching Notre Dame burn hurt me and as a visitor to Paris on a regular basis I always visit and appreciate what it means to Parisians and to visitors alike.
Please rebuild your cathedral because it is not just for the faithful, it’s for the health of your community.
Rob Mason, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
No logic
I and no doubt many licensed firearms owners wonder just how the powers that be managed to go from banning military-style semi-automatic weapons, as pitched to the public to banning semiautomatic hunting rifles, semiautomatic hunting shotguns, pump action shotguns holding more than five rounds, lever action rifles holding more than 10 rounds, then onto .22 semiautomatic, bolt action and lever action rifles that hold more than 10 rounds.
Many of these firearms, while they now fit into the poorly worded Act have never been available with ‘‘highcapacity’’ magazines or are as issued by the manufacturer.
There are some that can be modified but to do so would destroy the value of them.
So I ask where is the logic behind these changes? Graham Saunders, Hokitika
Dropped off
Joe Bennett’s article (April 17) is amusing, as most of his pieces are.
However, to say that ‘‘all religions are fairy tales’’ surely must have been written with his tongue firmly pushed into his cheek.
Yes, there are some religions that have doctrines that are not biblical, but if all are fairy tales, and if the evolution theory doesn’t stack up, I wonder how the columnist thinks we got here?
Perhaps we were dropped off here by aliens?
After reading Joe’s article, I think some people must have been. Head first.
Brian Preddy, Casebrook
Bennett brilliant
Being an atheist it is delightfully inappropriate for me to say thank God for Joe Bennett’s remarks on the Folau furore.
It’s not often we read such sense.
Fundamental religion is an absolute nonsense in my opinion. It has caused more suffering in the world than it has cured and if Israel Folau wants to continue to make a fool of himself in public like this, well, let him.
At the end of the day, with all the sins that he has listed that will result in eternity in hell, who is not guilty?
Yep, that will be no-one then. Andrew Luddington, Tai Tapu