Your feedback to The Aucklander
I AM writing in support of the ambitious project of native-tree planting at Cue Haven ("Great Gift for the Future", March 15). We heard of the project in 2010, when our grandson, aged 3, drowned in Canada.
An extended family member wanted to have a memorial to him in New Zealand as he was of Canadian and New Zealand heritage. She found the Cue Haven project on the internet - largely due to a 2010 article in The Aucklander.
Family and friends from around the world have so far bought and planted 27 kahikatea and three kauri trees for our little Duncan.
We have named the grove of kahikatea "Duncan's Grove".
Tom and Mahrukh's vision, enthusiasm and dedication to the project is inspiring. They make us all feel so welcome when we visit what is a special and beautiful place to have a memorial, which will survive longer than all of us.
Their dedication also inspires us to buy more trees to help in a small way with a large undertaking.
We would like to commend this project and the support of it to anyone who wants a lasting memorial for a loved one. It gave us a positive way to express our grief while helping a worthy cause. - Adrienne Welch, Takapuna
SO THE council claims the ridiculous proposed increases in dog registration fees are to cover the costs of "responding to dog attacks, a control service for dangerous dogs, kennel services, etc".
Simple answer: automatic $500 instant fine for dog attacks; $250 instant fine for a dangerous dog - no kennels needed, dispose of these dogs immediately.
It's called user pays, and will not affect responsible dog-owners or currently registered dogs.- D King,Hillsborough
I would be a dog owner who wouldn't be too upset about a sensible increase in the fees ... if the animal-management service that the Auckland Council uses to uphold the Dog Control Act actually did the job of dog control.
I have had an ongoing problem with a neighbour's dog which regularly enters my fenced property and attacks my dog. I have reported these constant attacks to the service five or six times in the past two years, and have received no help from it in sorting the problem.
Instead, I received an alleged infringement for "dog not under control" and the classification of "menacing" for my dog. I vehemently denied the infringement until the council withdrew the prosecution, yet it still imposed the classification - which means even more in registration fees for me.
The neighbour's dog continues to enter my property and attack my dog, resulting in both of the dogs receiving horrible injuries. I alone wrestle the two fighting dogs apart, which is not an easy or nice task, and it has been only by luck that I have not been bitten by either dog.
My continuous pleas for help from the dog-control service have fallen on deaf ears. I am the only one doing any dog control at my end of the street - perhaps Auckland Council should be paying me the fees. - Louise Dallison, Waimauku
IN RESPONSE to Dr John Raeburn's comments ("Age of Misconceptions", March 15), I would like to point out that Communicare CMA runs 23 Friendship Centres for the elderly and disabled throughout Auckland. Each Friendship Centre is open on one day a week in school-term time, and provides morning tea, lunch, activities such as indoor bowls, crafts, games and companionship for a small weekly sum.
Communicare has been supporting the elderly and disabled of Auckland since 1959, and has been of great assistance to many isolated and lonely people and also to more active people who wish to volunteer their time to helping others. - Margaret Oldfield, Communicare manager, ph 631 5968
Direct Capital and the Tiong family have spent millions in an endeavour to expand their salmon farm empire - in the pristine waters of the Marlborough Sounds.
Direct Capital (NZ King Salmon) has gone as far as filing for a private plan change, which means that 30 years of work the local community has done to manage and limit the polluting effects of marine farmers is at real risk of being undone.
Think of the beautiful beaches and bays you have in Auckland. Imagine a fenced-off, alien structure of rugby field dimensions taking up all the bay. Then consider the water quality ruined with tonnes of fish feed being thrown into it every day.
You would not want to swim near the perpetual sewage that hundreds of thousands of salmon excrete. If this plan change goes ahead there will be no stopping the defiling of bay after bay.
Because this challenge has far-reaching effects for all Kiwis, you need to file a submission against the private plan change at www.epa.govt.nz, New Zealand King Salmon. - Martin Pinder, Marlborough Sounds