No equality even when hair done

It would seem that many, if not most, hairdressers in Auckland and perhaps further afield, charge women nearly twice as much as men for a simple haircut. A curly-headed man recommended his hairdresser to a woman with similar hair and style. Like him, she required a basic, no-frills haircut and no more. He is charged $50 and when she called to make an appointment, she was quoted $95 “because she was a woman”.

Questioned further about the thinking behind this differentiation, she was told, “Women require consultation, they take more time and it’s just the way it is”. To this response was added, “Anyone who questions something like this that has been around for years is a pain in the a***”.

As if pay inequity for women is not enough. Christine Hart, St Mary’s Bay.

English fans

I watched in horror and disgust as English soccer hooligans trashed an Ikea store in London after England beat Sweden in the Fifa World Cup quarter-finals. I thought that if this is the best these ignorant, racist vandals can come up with when England wins a game, they don’t deserve to win the World Cup. Well, they haven’t and it serves them right. Go, Croatia.

John Watkins, Katikati.

Targets still expected

If there is no more funding to improve the offer to nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, does the Government still expect them to work at a level that ensures all current health targets are at least met, if not exceeded? Good will goes both ways. Employees who feel valued and “heard” are far more likely to go the extra mile to achieve an employer's goals.

Maria Carbines, Hillsborough.

Free speech

I wonder how the Coalition for Free Speech would react if someone from al Qaeda or Isis was invited to give a public speech here. I suspect their support of free speech applies only if the views expressed coincide with their own. I would be appalled if Lauren Southern or a member of either organisation I mentioned was allowed to express views in a public forum. Donald Anderson, Papatoetoe.

Follow the money

How good to see the Herald following the extreme right’s foray into this country so closely, with back-up commentary from Bromhead and Brian Rudman. But we need more in-depth analysis. Where does the $50,000 come from to mount a legal challenge against Phil Goff? Significant incomes are being made from this activity so is this a “fake” story to keep them in the news and in the money? Are they in fact running a business and not political activists at all? Is the IRD keeping tabs on them?

Is the IRD monitoring their supportive “partners” in Google and Facebook et al, as co-respondents and the real financial beneficiaries of this activity?

More seriously, their language has gone past “hate” speech and fake news, to mount an attack on our democratic process. Rudman seems confident we are robust but it would be useful to see a case get into our legal system to test our systems against it. Now is the time. If the law needs to be sharpened to protect us, so be it. Had the fledgling German democracy of the 1920s outlawed parties that sought its demise the Nazi horror would never have happened.

Derek Schulz, Raumati Beach.

Pressure group power

Mayor Goff will find no shortage of supporters for his decision to cancel the Canadian speakers’ venue from feminist and ethnic groups who may feel vulnerable to their disclosures. On what grounds did he decide there was a threat to public safety? If someone suggested threatening protests then surely that is a case for the police?

There was a similar council cancellation recently in Nelson where noted historian Dr Bruce Moon was booked to give a lecture on the Treaty of Waitangi in a public hall. The mayor cancelled the lecture on receiving threats from anonymous sources of disruptions that the mayor considered might endanger public safety. So decisions on freedom of speech are decided by anonymous self-appointed arbiters using illegal threats. This power of vocal pressure groups is becoming more prevalent in Western societies.

Bryan Johnson, Omokoroa.

Correct speech

Herald columnist Rachel Stewart refers to a local baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a homosexual couple as a bigot. This is in spite of the baker stating the reason being due to her strong Christian beliefs and, in particular, her opposition to same-sex marriage. Stewart, Marvelly, Rattue and other Herald columnists with similar extreme liberal views refuse to accept that many people have strongly held principled moral views on subjects such as homosexuality, samesex marriage and abortion, to which they are entitled. Instead these people are often deemed guilty of bigotry, homophobia, racism etc as their views don't conform to the liberal left view often espoused by the media and columnists like Stewart.

However, Stewart and others like her are the real bigots. They are the ones intolerant of others' views. Some only want freedom of speech to work one way. You can have an opinion and speak about subjects such as homosexuality, same-sex marriage, abortion or Islam. But if your views differ from the politically correct or liberal brigade, then keep them to yourself. John Rudd, RD Tauranga.

Origin of marriage

I read Rachel Stewart's column right to the end on Wednesday, a first for me, as there was a clarity of thought about bigotry on both sides of the question of whether two persons of the same sex can marry. However, I gritted my teeth negotiating her understanding of marriage as “an historically heterosexual construct originally designed by the church to facilitate women becoming the property of men”.

Though she says she is an atheist and a lesbian, it is hard to believe she believes marriage began less than 2000 years ago. It brought to mind the saying, if you stop believing in God you will believe in anything. Tony Molloy, Morrinsville.

Reliable post

I pay all my bills by mailed cheques and find it reliable. We had mail stolen from our house letterbox from time to time at our previous address so I will only ever mail my cheques to a post office box as it is sure to get to the recipient that way.

One tradesman did not have a post office box so I took it to his home. I have never had a mailed cheque not arrive.

Murray Hunter, Titirangi.

Thanks to co-operation

Isn’t it wonderful news regarding the rescue of the Thai boys trapped in the cave? Thanks to the co-operation of the international community all went well and it was worth lining the streets to thank the rescuers. Lives can be saved when countries work together for good instead of wanting to be in control and planning for war, death and destruction.

Margaret Scott, Pakuranga.

No transfer please

In Wednesday’s Herald, NZTA chief executive Fergus Gammie revealed it believed the best route between the Auckland CBD and the airport would be by train to Puhinui, then transferring to buses or trams for the final 6km. Rubbish. Can you imagine travellers hauling cases onto a train and competing, with commuters at times then disembarking at Puhinui (with cases) and waiting for another form of travel to complete the journey? Imagine business people doing the same.

Travellers don’t want or need hassles getting to the airport. Take London. The train takes you direct to Heathrow Station, inside the airport buildings. That is what Auckland needs. Wake up, bureaucrats, No 8 wire solutions belong to the past.

Denis Hibbs, Mangakino.

Self control

People should make up their own minds about smoking and sugar, it is stupid and costly to keep making rules. Smoking is a health hazard, as is too much sugar. If people want to use them, it is up to them. My father died at 52, having emphysema caused by smoking. My husband got type 2 diabetes. I reduced his use of sugar, biscuits and cakes. We ate fruit and vegetables and after a short time his glycaemic levels decreased and his medication was reduced. This may seen hard, but it worked. People are their own worst enemies when it comes to health.

Sheila Sivyer, Pukekohe.