North Shore Times (New Zealand)
LIBRARIES ARE PRECIOUS
A recent correspondent to your columns alerted us the possibility that Auckland libraries may be being subject to some sort of review – which sounds like an alarming development, involving yet another unnecessary ‘restructuring’ (aka money saving reductions of service). Our libraries are a precious and increasingly essential community resource, providing a hub for local activities and community involvement in addition to a reliable and up to date supply of published material, both e-version and hard copy, clearly selected by knowledgeable professionals. Christine Howe
Beach Haven
SUPPORTING LOCAL ARTISTS
I was surprised to see John Burrows (Look Who’s Talking, Feb 16) comment on the need for an artist-driven theatre venue on the North Shore. The PumpHouse Theatre has been here for 40 years fulfilling just such a need. In February 2017 alone we host the premieres of Tanya M Wheeler’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, and Stephen
Sinclair’s Remain in Light. Both are North Shore-based playwrights. Hundreds of artists and theatre-makers have performed and presented at The PumpHouse in the last 12 months alone; highlights being the premiere of the New Zealand transgender musical, People Like Us, and Ko¯ rero Pu¯ ra¯ kau –a retelling of local Ma¯ ori stories by local students, coached and directed by Rawiri Paratene. i-Start Chinese Theatre continue to present original, locally written works in Mandarin Chinese, most recently A Story About a Poet, about noted Chinese poet Gu Cheng, who lived on Waiheke Island. Awarding-winning playwright Gary Henderson hosts regular playwriting classes to encourage new writers to present their work – this initiative has resulted in 19 new theatre works created and presented right here in Takapuna. The PumpHouse Theatre is an inclusive, supportive theatre community offering opportunities for anyone with a story to tell. I’d love to talk more with Mr Burrows, or anyone else, about how we can help them present their work here on the North Shore.
James Bell
Business manager, The PumpHouse Theatre
HOUSING ZONES
The High Court decision allowing Auckland’s Unitary Plan to go ahead and re-zone residential properties into more intensive housing zones signals the death knell for thousands of Auckland’s heritage villas and bungalows. This was not an appeal case against intensification, but against the loss of home-owners’ rights to appeal. But the claim from developers that the High Court’s ‘‘green light’ is justified because it will provide 400,000 new houses to solve Auckland’s housing crisis is nonsense. We are already seeing wealthy people buy up old houses and demolish them in order to build bigger houses that are not in character with the area and that solve nothing of the housing crisis. These are not affordable houses for average buyers; yet neither the government, Auckland Council or Auckland developers are prepared to admit that the only way to achieve genuinely affordable housing is by fully funded state housing. Building truly affordable houses would require developers to cut their profit margins, the likelihood of which is nil.
Carol Scott
Birkenhead
HAVE YOUR SAY
Letters should not exceed 250 words and must have full name, residential address and phone number. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or withhold any correspondence without explanation. Letters may be referred to others for right of reply before publication. Email: nsnews@snl.co.nz Mail: North Shore Times, PO Box 79, Orewa.