Can’t this building be moved?

The NG Building must be saved. Can it be moved perhaps, to another site, like the Old Museum Hotel Building in Wellington was successfully?

(And thank you Colin Meurk for your letters, trying to save our ruins ...)

K Dolan, Mt Pleasant

Building acquisition

I am in shock that the option of acquisition of the NG Building has not been actioned long ago.

While they are at it, how about sorting the unrepaired areas in New Regent St.

It is disgraceful neglect and harmful for the other tenants and landlords who have shown motivation and care. Rodger Wyatt, Charteris Bay

Cathedral ruin

Colin Muerk (Feb 23) is correct, something must be retained of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Barbadoes St. Since it was opened in 1905, it has been the most beautiful building in this city.

To keep its outline to about two metres and to create a garden within it, and to surround it by a forest of native plants and trees, should please Christians and heathens alike. Another important building would be preserved for future generations.

There is a precedent for this. In the centre of London many much-loved churches were destroyed in the Blitz during the Second World War, but their outline was preserved and gardens created within them which are appreciated to this day.

Mike Beard, Cashmere

Aftermath

I get really peeved when I hear how well Christchurch dealt with the earthquake aftermath.

Christchurch had damn little say in the rebuild. We have a town centre with a very inharmonious feel and blocks of weed gardens.

Two of the families I know, within streets of each other, have had very different outcomes.

Both had homes of similar value and similar damage, however the couple without insurance is in a lovely new home (courtesy of the taxpayer, and still without insurance) while the other are still paying insurance premiums and

fighting for a decent pay settlement from their insurance company.

How does this equate with justice or fair play. Why bother with insurance if I can be bailed out by the taxpayers?

Lois Gage, Spreydon

Akaroa water

Ratepayers complain about possibly being charged for the excessive use of water and metering. They should instead count their blessings.

At least the water in Christchurch is drinkable, unlike Akaroa and Takamatua, which is under a boil water notice for weeks, if not months, to come. Victoria Andrews, Akaroa

Water charging

Rust never sleeps and the city council is again trying to drive through water charges for a city which does not have a water shortage.

Flat charges for extra water use, such as that proposed, will always have the greatest impact on large families, who typically live on lower incomes.

The worst-hit of all will be properties where two, sometimes three, families are forced to live together because of the crisis in affordable housing. Similarly for families using water to grow vegetables to save money and reduce pressure on the environment.

Also hit hard will be those who take pride in beautiful gardens, which need a lot of water.

Don’t we all benefit from having beautiful gardens across the city? Don’t we all benefit from knowing large families on lower incomes are not being penalised simply because they are a large family?

I urge councillors to vote down this awful, discriminatory proposal.

John Minto, Waltham

Cricket lights

As I sit here on this wonderful summer [Monday] evening taking in the 20/20 international cricket, it is with a joyful heart. I am so grateful the cancel culture did not get to turn all the lights off in Christchurch.

Warren Grey, St Albans

Nitrate levels

I am confused about allowable nitrate levels for drinking water. The Danes are promoting less than one part per million. Nitrates are present in all food that we eat.

Spinach has 2960 ppm. Is there are difference between eating nitrates in food and drinking nitrates in water? Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

Warren Pettigrew, Lincoln

Pharmacies

Congratulations to Mike Yardley for an excellent expose of the pharmaceutical industry.

Suburban pharmacies provide an excellent service to the community and their continued existence is being severely threatened by the pharmacy discounters who are using the free prescription gimmick to lure consumers away from their local chemist.

The government that tells us we should support local businesses should take urgent action to protect the continued existence of our local pharmacies.

The Minister of Health, Andrew Little, should urgently remove the government prescription charge, being used as a weapon against local pharmacies.

Ken Orr, Shirley (abridged)

Soloist

Despite trawling through various media reports of the 10th anniversary of the February 22 earthquake commemoration, I can find no mention of the outstanding performance by soloist Private Bryony Williams, with the New Zealand Army Band, singing Hoki hoki tonu mai. She had a trained classical voice.

‘‘That could be Kiri Te Kanawa,’’ whispered someone near me. Had it been appropriate to do so she would have received a huge ovation.

No mention of this in the Order of Service leaflet either. She deserved special recognition for what was one of the most poignant moments of this event.

Another one, for me at least, was the conclusion of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s speech, when she referred to the disappearance of the birds from the city after the earthquake and quoted from a poem called Sparrows by Helen Lowe.

Inspired words that had me reaching for the tissues.

A M Hale, Somerfield

Live broadcast

Am I alone in thinking TVNZ erred in not live-streaming the Christchurch earthquake memorial service?

It would surely have attracted a bigger audience than Emmerdale Farm!

Steven Marshall, Merivale

Interest rates

The only way to cool the housing market is to raise interest rates. Property prices are rising because there is too much money seeking yield, and property is currently a risk-free investment with price inflation almost guaranteed.

Bank deposits pay almost zero and, as for equities, there are still too many investors around who remember the 1987 sharemarket crash.

Building more houses won’t relieve the property price pressure. It will simply increase the speculation in property which will lead to even higher prices, in the same way as building more roads to relieve traffic congestion encourages more traffic and creates even more congestion.

It’s like someone wearing a bigger belt to cure obesity.

In the current economic climate, with interest rates almost at zero, it won’t work.

Ian Badger, Christchurch Central