Lest we forget — memorials need looking after

I WRITE regarding the Limehills War Memorial grounds which, over the past few years, have not been maintained to a consistent respectful standard.

With Armistice Day (November 11) coming up, I visited this soulful memorial recently and found, yet again, weedy and untidy grounds.

I have tidied this area up twice on my own and made formal complaints to the Southland District Council.

It is council land, and the council needs to take responsibility for this area, which honours brave war heroes.

The Limehills War Memorial is one of the oldest (1916) in Southland and should be top priority on the council’s maintenance list.

As a war veteran’s daughter, who has presented at 16 RSA services in New Zealand, I find it disrespectful to see war memorials that are uncared for.

Our war heroes fought for their country and we need to remember their sacrifices and treat their memorial areas with dignity and love.

Wendy Baker

Nightcaps

Conspiracy theories

I READ with interest the article in the Weekend Mix headed ‘‘Twisting untruths’’, written by Bruce Munro.

It suggests to me that the Establishment is now getting seriously worried about the growing influence of ‘‘conspiracy theories’’.

Readers will note that this article doesn’t actually examine any of those theories in detail. Instead, it just dismisses them as false, without any scrutiny whatsoever.

In other words, the powersthatbe are concerned that too many people might be starting to think for themselves.

David Shanks, the New Zealand Chief Censor, and University of Waikato researcher Dr M. Dentith are both public servants, whose wages are paid by the Government, and they will always say whatever the ruling government wants them to say.

I guess the great awakening continues.

Don Sinclair Tahakopa Valley