Cost of progress

Any science of reasoning that allows ecologically sensitive land that is habitat to an endangered species to be destroyed by developers and then pass the buck onto cats as predators to wildlife is ludicrous and deserving derision (January 4 2020).

Common sense would endorse such areas be designated as a conservation reserve, not a housing development for the purpose of profit. Alas, profit for some always wins over the health of the environment which belongs to everyone.

Another point in case demonstrating how slack the council really is toward our wildlife environment is its consent for developers, Jones and Jones, to totally destroy a once verdant historic property on Ohaupo Road full of wildlife and mature trees including a magnificent totara that was dated hundreds (pre European) years old and significant protected trees, all felled, the whole lot. Now the property is reduced to just another sterile wind-blown dust bowl, completely featureless.

Behind this desolation lies Shaws Bird Park full of native birds and native trees whose owners are battling Hamilton City Council who are determined to bulldoze a road through it so motorists can save a couple of minutes in travel. Instead of diverting the road 60 metres through a bare paddock to the left of the park, HCC prefers to flatten the native bird sanctuary.

Such environmental treachery for lucrative gain and then throwing in ‘cat bans’ to pacify civil unrest over dwindling wildlife environment is ridiculously absurd.

Raymond Anderson, Hamilton