Debt means bankers get richer as ratepayers get poorer

MAILBOX

‘‘Flood repairs delay $4m of council work’’ was the front page headline in the Nelson Mail on January 13. This news item shows that the Nelson City Council is trying not to add to city ratepayers’ debt burden in repairing flood damage. For interest payments on council debt just make bankers richer and ratepayers poorer.

Will the Tasman District Council attempt to do the same? Its past record shows this is most unlikely.

My best guess is that TDC debt of about $140 million at the end of June 2011 will be approaching $200m at the end of June 2012. The interest payments on this will average out at about $600 a ratepayer on their next annual rate demand. So making some banker somewhere richer, and Tasman district’s PBR (poor bloody ratepayers) poorer. JIM BUTLER Motueka, January 13.

Roads spending

Surprise, surprise, the Nelson City Council is now talking about reviewing the proposed clip-on cycleway around Rocks Rd.

It took mother nature, in the form of the recent storm, to show some of the less perceptive councillors and council staff that the cycleway was foolhardy nonsense right from the start.

It is a pity that we no longer appear to have people of vision and acumen on the council who are able to focus on what is needed and get on with it.

Yes, the city’s ‘‘R’’ funding should be spent on straightening the Whangamoa road and building the southern link. One day we are going to get the leadership that makes the right decisions instead of waffling on. ALAN TURLEY Nelson, January 14.

Stress at Totaranui

In response to Anna Pearson’s story of January 6, a meeting called by DOC at Totaranui on December 17 informed campers of the following: the road could be closed for up to three months, vehicles may be barged out at campers’ cost and risk, uncertainty whether the campground would remain open, another update and meeting would be arranged on Monday. The proposed meeting did not occur; the flow of information ceased.

DOC staff did take an order for emergency food items, and Hugh Mytton was very generous with his time helping to load vehicles on to the barge.

Campers spent many dollars and hours in the phone booth arranging travel and contacting insurance companies. There was no understanding of campers’ stress, and a lack of compassion shown when some campers requested refunds or to borrow heart medication, leaving one family in tears. During the civil emergency the Tarakohe harbourmaster put a $100 landing fee on the sea shuttle, further increasing costs.

I wish to thank Dale Roozenburg and Lynn Pepper for their generosity in obtaining information from Fulton Hogan and delivering news and groceries for campers. Dale drove from Richmond to Tarakohe to assist a Dunedin family, picked up their trailer off the barge, took it back to Richmond and stored it until transport could be arranged. H PATERSON Akaroa, January 16.

Affordable housing

In the June 2008 quarter, the median (half receive more, and half receive less than this amount) weekly income for all people from all sources was $537 (source: Statistics New Zealand).

Based on the above, I totally agree with Nick Smith’s comment ( Nelson Mail, January 14) regarding housing affordability, and I also want to live in a town like this. If we add 5 per cent to the June 2008 weekly income total, we get a current figure of $564.

I hope Nick sticks to this commitment not just for Nelson but for all New Zealanders, and then some may stay in the country.

Is it a fact that more people have left Nelson and Tasman to live in Australia since Nick Smith has been an MP than at any other time in the history of our district? Nick’s new commitment may give him time to change this. MARK NALDER Glenduan, January 14.

Deer damage

Laurie Collins is presumptuous in saying he speaks for the general public ( Mailbox, January 2). Hunters alone have never kept deer numbers to such a level so that New Zealand forests are not damaged or destroyed.

During the 1970s, in response to claims of ‘‘control’’ by hunters, the forests in the Kaweka and Ruahine ranges were decimated, with many plant species disappearing. After 30 years of good 1080 pest control, many broadleaf species such as fuchsia and schefflera have reappeared. Throughout the country, the once widespread pittosporum patulum is still struggling.

There is no comparison between the voracious feeding needs of large mammalian herbivores and the grazing habits of moa. Many moa species were small birds the size of takahe or emu, and grazed accordingly. The largest species were controlled, predated by the giant Haast’s eagle. Moa whose bodies were lighter than mammals of the same size grazed lightly in comparison to a deer or possum, and plants developed their own defences by divaricating.

Deer hunters have a vested interest in keeping deer numbers to a higher than acceptable level. GILLIAN POLLOCK Upper Moutere, January 15.