Let Queen Mary help troubled youth

Queen Mary Hospital’s heritage buildings in Hanmer await use. Before closing in 2003, its addiction treatment and therapy groups helped people cope with illness, functioning and relationships.

Services for youth with complex mental health issues, trauma, alcohol, drug, gambling and behavioural problems lack beds. Before its closure, I requested its use for youth with co-morbid health, welfare, justice, abuse, and education issues, and using Hanmer’s outdoor adventures opportunities. Many needed separation from addicted others, and a place to stop, listen and think.

Therapeutic relationships with trained staff are vital for motivation, hope, learning new tools, growth, work and positive relationships.

That hospital’s therapeutic services could reduce youth suicide, unemployment, violence, and imprisonment, if the Government funded it and community follow-up. Dr Robyn Hewland Ilam

Water worth more than gold

In the 1960s the first man on the building site was the well sinker. Good water was readily available at around 16 metres in the Christchurch area, and would lift about 1m in a 50 millimetre pipe.

Today the same wells would hardly rise above ground level without pumps, yet the government is still allowing vast amounts of our precious water to be extracted.

How much longer before these idiots realise that clean water is worth more than gold. Graham Johnson Kaiapoi