James Bond drinking research draws criticism
UNIVERSITY reports are usually useless and conducted by people who try to justify their taxpayer funding on subjects that are forgotten the moment they are released.
I could not believe that someone at Otago University has been paid to release the excessive drinking of James Bond, a fictional character. This was taken up by the media, perhaps as a joke, although the authors would argue that that they were highlighting the drinking culture that New Zealand has.
It is a joke and let’s hope we are not at April 1 already. Ross Davidson
Wakari
Name suppression
Zealand court issuing name suppression orders when they don’t apply to overseas news publications?
The recent Grace Millane murder is another example where anyone looking at online editions of overseas papers can readily read the accused’s name, while here in New Zealand police are warning not to publish the name. Is it not time for these suppression orders to be reviewed on the basis they cannot be effectively enforced?
Russell Garbutt
Clyde
‘‘ON Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became emotional as she apologised to Grace Millane’s family on behalf of New Zealanders for what had happened’’, is an excerpt in the media on Tuesday. Murders in New Zealand are almost weekly, 48 in 2017. Many victims are children or the elderly, and the Prime Minister is silent. Why is an overseas backpacker’s life worth more than one of our own?
Phone book
Steve Brown
West Melton WE received our latest phone book and found we and all our friends aren’t entered in it. To obtain a copy, one has to apply, and copies will be sent out on December 28. Here is a saving of 75 pages in printing — a great saving, as I’m picking most residents won’t even bother applying. Barrie Kendall
Halfway Bush DR Timothy G. Ferner of Henley
(ODT, 3.12.18) need not fear the ORC, and its threat of ‘‘pulling out’’ any time soon.
That’s going by the ORC’s experience of spending millions of dollars, and years of procrastination over its new office block, without a site decision being made. It could be many more floods at Henley, and a multitude of talk fests by the ORC, before any ‘‘pulling out’’ gets on the agenda. Brian Miller
East Taieri ...................................
BIBLE READING: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. — Romans 10:4