Vulcan Hotel ghost ‘means no harm’

IN your article on the Vulcan Hotel (ODT, 25.9.20) you refer to Rosie the ghost as a prostitute. This is denigrating Rosie and far from the truth. It was her innocence that led Rosie to find herself shamed and despised. She is still waiting at the Vulcan for the lover who promised her so much to return and drive her off in a fine carriage.

She is a wistful creature, still beautiful, still hoping, and means no harm to anyone.

Islay Little

Opoho

REGARDING the stories the Otago Daily Times keeps running that refer to a ghost at the Vulcan Hotel at St Bathans. There is an easy way of telling whether a place is haunted by a ghost. It isn't. They don't exist.

Ian Dougherty

Brighton

’Lopsided’ tax system

GERRARD Eckhoff’s (ODT, 25.9.20) critique of tax reform ‘‘should be seen for what it really is’’, a callous defence of the lopsided distribution of education, wealth, privilege and power to the propertyowning classes. While absolute equality is almost impossible, basic economic security and quality of life should be available to all on a reasonably level playing field. By all means curb wasteful spending by government ministries and local bodies. But some of that extravagant spending ends up as public services contracted out to private enterprise and offshore private enterprise at that. The result is the expensive loss of institutional knowledge in the public arena and local private enterprise. Stuart Mathieson

Palmerston

Medical school

WHILE a sound level of academic achievement is necessary to be a good doctor, knowing how to deal with the unknown is far more important than being a smart alec who knows all the answers.

Gil Barbezat

Roslyn