Yourletters

Great hospital

We recently had a family member in Whangarei Hospital, Ward 14, for several weeks, and want to publicly thank doctors, nurses and support staff for their professional care, concern and kindness. Thank you also to volunteers, especially those on the Shuttle Bug. Helicopters coming and going is another plus for Whangarei.

When extended family from Auckland visited, they didn’t know where to park or how to find the front entrance, and were graciously admitted through some back door and directed the right way. They have had a family member in out and of three Auckland hospitals, and were overwhelmed by the favourable difference at Whangarei Base. Take a bow. Keep up the good work.

Z Roadley Maungaturoto

One people

Turnout pathetic

On Saturday night I went to see Auckland band The Desotos in the old Whangarei library. In my opinion, a class act, $15 entry fee. Money well spent, as I am sure the other 30-odd persons attending would agree.

What a pathetic turnout. Those guys were so good.

The old library is a great venue and it has got the best toilets in town. Well done, council. Mike Pullen Whangarei The little brown house was built long ago and the proud sign above the door said, ‘‘The Maori House’’.

It was painted a beautiful deep, pure brown and stood out from all the other houses in the street that were all painted white.

As the years rolled by bits of the brown paint started to wear.

The pure brown paint was not manufactured any more and all that was available was a mixture of brown and white, so the little brown house was patched up with that.

As the paint continued to fade it was replaced by a mixture diluted with more white paint every time that it needed repairing, until one hundred and seventy years later the little house was still standing tall and proud but was hardly distinguishable from i ts neighbours as all that remained of the original colour was a nowfaded sign that could barely be seen. An old man saw the house and realised that he owned a painting inherited from his great, great grandfather depicting the same house as it had stood long, long ago in all of its original glory.

Tears welled into his eyes and he decided then to buy it and have it freshly renovated.

As much as he loved the deep, deep brown in the picture he realised that times had changed and things were not the same as of old.

He bought the property and instructed the renovators to paint some of the house white, some yellow, some black, some olive and some brown.

The multi-coloured sign above the door now reads, ‘‘We are all one people.’’ Mitch Morgan

Kaipara

Sovereign nation

I empathise with Jane Tana (February 22).

My letters receive ongoing alterations, without notation of abridging, ensuring meaning is altered. It’s little wonder Keith Hartley ( February 22), misunderstood the contents of my February 8 letter, driving himself into a prejudicial rant. When text is altered, it is little wonder that the capacity of some citizens is challenged, mistakes made and misunderstanding invoked. We are not one people. We are a Sovereign Nation established from a bicultural Treaty, emerging i nto a multicultural society, admired from off shore for the ongoing peace. We accept and appreciate diversity, the array of intelligence and ability. That is why we are the best peace keepers in the world.

We have shared wealth expressed through strategic state owned enterprises, which the National Party is selling to their rich mates, termed mums and dads, or to foreign concerns. Creating further wealth for these groups and not the body politic, this has in the past and will into the future dilute our economic sovereignty.

At election 2008, there was no net Crown debt.

National cut taxes

for the wealthy and borrowed, as no previous government has done.

It is false to believe asset sales will provide for schools, health and roads as these are already budgeted for.

It is erroneous to purchase something you already own.

John Key promised 170,000 new jobs.

A quarter of a million people are jobless, poverty is rising and National is intent on cashing up what’s left of our nation. Vivienne Shepherd

Onerahi