Hong Kong warning

I have no love of colonialism, but in Hong Kong it has been shown to be far superior to the diktats being harshly imposed by China.

Recent letters have expressed a range of opinions on the situation there, some even expressing the view that the population had suffered gravely under the long years of British rule. Leaving aside the dubious reasons for the original colonialism this opinion is a complete nonsense, plainly exposed by the widespread adverse public reaction to the new laws introduced by Beijing; listening to recent declarations by chief executive Carrie Lam, I am astonished that her nose is not now as long as Pinocchio’s.

The fresh laws will now effectively and rapidly extinguish Hong Kong’s longstanding democracy and freedoms of speech. Sad days indeed, but a warning call to us all.

Phil Hickling, Papamoa Beach

When the last governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, handed over the reins at the end of June 1997 he could not have imagined how it would be administered by Lam, who blames the coronavirus is for delaying the legislative council elections.

The truth is that Lam’s ineptitude is to blame.

But what can be done to stop China meddling in not only Hong Kong’s internal affairs but those of another island state, Taiwan?

Brian Collins, Lower Hutt

NZ First leader Winston Peters reportedly no longer trusts Hong

Kong’s justice system and our extradition treaty is suspended. He is also ‘‘not concerned’’ because there are 1.4 billion people in China who are ‘‘desperate for our supplies’’. Really? Who benefits when the next bank robber or mass murderer flees to Hong Kong with no cross-border mechanism for mutual legal assistance and cooperation in criminal investigations?

Hong Kong’s community of independent, cantankerous judges and lawyers have a proud history of giving effect to the common law.

Peter Leong, Wellington