A transport idea worth pursuing Science our best hope

How refreshing to read Stephen Moore’s The way to get Wellington moving sooner (Sept 19), looking at the possibility of an elevated rail system for the capital.

This is the first new idea I’ve read in years, and highlights the fact that the city’s planners seem to be bogged down in trying to move ever more buses or buslike vehicles on an already congested roading system.

The idea of an elevated rail system running from the station above Featherston St and beyond, leaving the Golden Mile for the odd bus and more importantly people, is an idea worth pursuing.

The technology mentioned in Moore’s article is 50 years old, so investigation of modern technology for this type of mass transit needs urgent investigation. Since it’s election time, who is going to support such a system?

Geoffrey Horne, Roseneath

Absent from the House

Hearing coverage of Maggie Barry’s parliamentary outburst, directed at the Assistant Speaker, one can’t help but sympathise with her. The End of Life Choice Bill is probably the most significant piece of legislation to come before Parliament in several decades.

Yet at debating time the chamber is almost empty and most votes on amendments are being cast by proxy. This is flagrant lack of respect for due process and a symbol of the supreme arrogance of our elected representatives. The miracle is that Barry and company have been able to contain their rightful indignation and frustration up until now.

Parliament should collectively hang its head in shame should this bill pass without the meaningful engagement of our members of Parliament.

Monica Devine, Waterloo Of course scientists are fallible but in the long run our best view of reality comes via science (Letters, Sept 20). It’s a system which strives to overcome individual failings.

Professor James Renwick did not need to ‘‘glibly explain away the 1970s scare of global cooling’’ for two reasons: there was no scare and nor was the balance of informed opinion with Stephen Schneider, who was worried about aerosols.

It is true particulate matter in the atmosphere does keep Earth cooler, but in the past 50 years we have added a great deal of greenhouse gas. And evidence and understanding to climate science.

Dennis N. Horne, Oxford, UK

Hydrogen downsides

Peter Graham (Letters, Sept 19) suggests closing the aluminium smelter at Bluff and using the surplus electricity from Manapouri to generate hydrogen, which could be used to replace gas, oil and coal as fuels.

There are no greenhouse gas emissions from burning hydrogen. The concept is fine but requires the electrolysis of water to make the hydrogen. This cost has to be accounted for, as does the efficiency loss. The process is about 80 per cent efficient.

There is also no distribution infrastructure in place for hydrogen and establishing this would be very costly.

If Manapouri power was available, there are other options which should be considered. In particular, the surplus power could be used to accelerate the electric vehicle programme being promoted by the Government.

There is a growing electric vehicle fleet in New Zealand and a comprehensive distribution infrastructure already exists.

Having Manapouri available to the system as a whole rather than tied to the Comalco smelters would also help provide an improved basis for the introduction of electricity renewables like solar and wind and backing fossil fuels out of the electricity system.

Bas Walker, Wellington

Pythonesque operation

Who’d a thought? Fifty years on we have the expression ‘‘an orchestrated litany of . . .’’ rearing its articulate and apposite head! Kristy McDonald, QC, for the Operation Burnham inquiry, used the word ‘‘shambles’’ – by way of understatement, I presume.

As Thomas Manch reports (Sept 20), ‘‘crucial evidence’’ was ‘‘obtained in 15 minutes by an NZDF staffer, despite it being mistakenly or intentionally overlooked for years’’. Thanks to inquiry chair Sir Terence Arnold for carefully reading between the lines of Tim Keating’s testimony and noticing the discrepancy between what he was talking about and what the inquiry had been given access to.

This then begs a further question, relevant to Official Information Act complainants like Stuff and others, as to how and why the NZDF did not provide the Chief Ombudsman, with his extensive powers, with all relevant information either?

My own take on this, aside from whether there has been an orchestrated cover-up, is that a public agency head office fully populated with career control and command types, with all sorts of medals and stripes, is not going to deliver on the public service and public interest needs of the community and government. Graeme Buchanan, Karaka Bays

Does it have a WOF?

No movement over tiny home (Sept 17), about whether a small house is a house or not, just highlights how people don’t want to pay consent fees and abide with the law. It is clear the building is a house.

If this building is wired and has plumbing and has not got consents and certificates then it could well be a death trap for people living in it.

These rules are there for a reason. Without consents and certificates the house wouldn’t be able to be insured. That is if Jono Voss intends to get insurance.

Would the insurance company insure this building as a vehicle? I think not.

I hardly think this is a bureaucratic disaster because Mr Voss has been asked to abide by council rules. If the structure is indeed a vehicle, does it have indicators and brake lights and WOF?

Karl Oliver, Lower Hutt

An honourable mention

I am honoured, over the moon and humbled. I’ve been mentioned by Rosemary McLeod (Shocking news for older men, Sept 20). It’s almost like being on the cover of Rolling Stone (almost).

With her usual scintillating panache she has picked up another grubby morsel of anti-male misinformation off the footpath, waved her wand over it and turned into a magnificent feast.

No-one wrested anything off anyone at the Grey Power AGM except the remnants of their feminist dignity. One of the old ladies who has made such a fuss has a history of loud, profane and aggressive arguments with anyone unfortunate enough to get too close. I know, I received both barrels at one stage but we tolerated her as we men do with rude old ladies.

She finally came up against a president who was not prepared to tolerate a rude old lady (such magnificent men are quite rare). Apart from being a colossal waste of valuable time, it was often highly entertaining.

Tom O’Connor, Immediate past president, Grey Power NZ Federation

Quit the PM bashing

Wow! Christine McNamara is really down on Jacinda Ardern (Letters, Sept 19).

Is it possible that she really could be a loving, caring and, yes, charismatic prime minister who genuinely wants to make her country better and is actually doing something about it rather than sitting on the sidelines like most people?

And what does a ‘‘pretty smiling face’’ have to do with anything? That’s the way she is. Do I detect a whiff of sexism? Quit the PM bashing.

Helen Carver, Dannevirke

Rushing to judge

The Americans immediately claim Iran attacked Saudi Arabia, though the Iranians soberly deny it.

The great escalation of the Vietnam War that gave President Johnson total freedom of action was based on the highly questionable Tonkin Gulf incident. The Iraq invasion was fraudulently based on non-existent weapons of mass destruction. To rashly judge forbear. Dave Smith, Tawa