TXT 2 ED

Labour shortage

■ For once agree with Shane Jones re apple companies. You create an issue but seem to believe Government should fix it. Pay a realistic pay rate and give something back to the community. Drove a truck last season, 68-hour week, $1088 take home. Wife worked 60 hours in packhouse take home $835. No wonder you have issues attracting staff.

■ Organise cluster groups of mums per suburb for picking fruit. Great interaction and chance to contribute. Put vans on for small fee. Get creative HR

■ Picker shortage.Simple answer put vans on for the mums. Small fee. Can work during school hours or twilight shift. Extra money for those that need it. Think outside the square, offshore-owned fruit companies. Think local, answer right in front of you. Mums will work and commit in groups.

■ Mr Yule. You say the Government needs to declare a seasonal worker shortage so it can fast track visas. Wasn't it the National Government that put a cap on RSEs, forcing firms to hire local workers. Now it's coming back to bite us in the rear.

■ With the shortage of apple pickers, there should be no one on the unemployment benefit in Hastings and somewhat further afield. MSD — the buck stops with you.

■ Could it be that now there are too many apple growers around our area, just as kiwifruit growers around the Bay of Plenty discovered 40-ish years ago.

■ Shane Jones should get real. Rules change and if the picker problem was in Northland he would be falling over himself to help. JC

■ No apple pickers in Hawke’s Bay. Plenty on the dole so why not kick them out to earn it. No work, no dole.

Other thoughts

■ Good question Philip M. Ward. The answer is incompetence by the local authority. GB

■ I am an older person and deliver newsletters using my bike. I like the new cycle track on Kennedy Rd. It’s not too bumpy. Try using the footpath on Tom Parker Ave, that’s bumpy.

■ Who steals from donations left at Op Shop doorways? Thieves do! Shame on you!JS

■ Why do people mow their lawns short then when finished put the sprinkler on it, crazy.

■ Sad to see another meeting of members about the tragic demise of the Taradale RSA.

■ What's all the fuss over Trump’s wall. It's not the only wall that's going up, and Iran-Pakistan already have built one.

■ Sharing, caring and respect is what we should be teaching everyone because the people that lead this country lost it decades ago.

■ NCC — what a shambles the bike race was. I attempted to visit friends on Bluff Hill at a property equally glorious to that of my own in Havelock North, but I diverge. Roads closed and detours without warning, not a map of road closures in sight, and volunteers that couldn't tell me anything remotely useful! Where was the organisation and public notification of this lycra-sponsored farce of an event? Disgraceful. I shan't travel to Napier again. SS

■ Napier RSA has dress code for patrons. What about staff? Employee with undersized shirt on, bottom buttons unable to do up and plenty of flesh on show. Not a good look.JLM

■ It is just possible the unshorn sheep are due to the shearers being delayed by the weather. Newbies may not know about HB Mobile Shearing.

■ Having recently cruised around NZ in late November, including Napier, can only conclude a previous texter didn't cruise to Picton. A wonderful welcome, every visitor off the ship given a beautiful rose spray and the men a Picton badge.

■ Almost every city in NZ gets messaging about conserving water over summer. It's about demand on cities’ systems at peak times not water quantity or quality issues. Gosh, I wish some people would stop moaning. AT

■ Re Taradale RSA merger. Think very carefully about this proposal. It has not worked for returned veterans elsewhere. The values held by returned people are largely ignored after such mergers. Just look at Hastings as an example. Now just another booze barn.

■ Have we ever had a time in New Zealand with so many strikes?

■ I have just read of the MPs’ pay freeze and heartily applaud them. I have always felt that percentage pay rises is a very inequitable set-up. Someone on $20,000 per year gets 3 per cent rise of $600 while $100,000 gains $3000.This increases pay gaps even further. BB Taradale

■ Approx 2years ago I remember an invitation from Mr Dalton for Hastings / Havelock North residents to come to Napier and drink pure water. Where are we now — oh well, Hastings residents are closer to the hospital when they not well.

■ Why is the cost of a house for Kiwi Build $600,000? Surely there are cheaper houses, for instant Waipukarau Construction or John Roil cabins. It’s only a place with a roof over your head, well insulated and dry. First-home owners can’t afford the cost, unless parents can support you. Govt has to be realistic.

■ Definition of multiple. A word used by people who can’t count or who are bone idle to describe a number greater than three. Johnny.

■ DG the dog tax was brought in to fund the Maori Wars. It was then used to fight hydatids. Now it's just plain robbery. JC ■ There is going to be a lot of people needing hearing aids down the track after being at the Church Road Winery concert! I live miles away and I can hear it above my TV for the last 51⁄2 hours! Why so loud!!!!

■ Looks great. Very hot here today. Done plenty of watering. Beans producing well.

■ Look what the Government has created ... shop keepers working in cages because smokers need a damn cigarette ... get over your greed to fame ... it’s disgusting and I know you don't care what we think or you would bring back people’s rights to vote.

■ Mary Woodford, can you tell me where the caring part of the rodeo organisers is among the poking, prodding, roping and chasing of these animals? I fail to see it. Yes, it's impossible for humans to behave perfectly and I'm sure Jesus would see our failings but I'm sure he would never approve of mindless cruelty.

■ Fantastic co¨ncept Botanical Gardens concert. Free as Oz ones are. Thanks. But please check seco¨nd act volume and sound quality next time as sounded wrong.

■ Like many wineries around the country Church Road is host to 1 or 2 summer concerts each year and 11pm is a respectable time to finish up. My partner and I are well over 65 (does that qualify as elderly I wonder) and both going along Thursday night to enjoy Toto and the other bands. So either put your ear plugs in for two nights a year or live a little!They have full licence to do so.

■ Thursday's paper — Hastings breaks heat record so why is Napier’s temperature always higher on news and weather at night.

■ Napier ratepayers .. .do you wonder if the water restrictions may also be due to all these huge cruise ships needing to fill up their on board water supplies. If so, we are been done over by our council again.

■ What a great cycling event on weekend. First time I've watched it. So there were some traffic delays, it doesn't happen every weekend, we all had plenty of notice.

■ New phone book 100 per cent stupid. Will keep and use old phone book.

■ Thank you, Jessica Maxwell, for always speaking up for the animals. Ban rodeos now! Stop the cruelty and abuse of terrified calves and horses.

■ It is my undestanding that most of Napier’s urban water is pumped to reservoirs and treatment plants which aren’t coping with the usage.