Letters to the editor: Jacinda, council, and The Elms

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / File

I received a message from a colleague with whom I worked 20 years ago in Zurich, which I quote verbatim: "Jacinda has become a bit of an icon here in Europe, and her handling of Covid-19 has enhanced her image further."

He ended his message with this admonition, "Look after yourselves and look after Jacinda. Anytime you decide you don't want her, send her to Switzerland. Or even better, to the UK, or the US, they are in dire need of real leadership."

Worth thinking about.

Robert Shaw
Pyes Pa

Get over yourselves

We have seen a series of news articles about the infighting in the Tauranga City Council. In my opinion, this is a disgrace.

Councillors are elected by the ratepayers to run our city, not squabble among themselves.

I believe if they cannot do their job they should resign and we will elect people who can.

Get over yourselves councillors and do your job.

(Abridged)

Laurie Becroft
Pyes Pa

Decision controversial

Re the article headlined, Ceremony marks handover of site (News, July 4).

The final decision reached on the site by Tauranga City Council was, to say the least, controversial because the vast majority of public submissions were against any gift to Otamataha Trust because submitters required the council to keep its 2006 promise and undertaking and gift the property to The Elms Foundation.

It has been private land and in private ownership since 1838 and it formed part of the small area of land purchased by Reverend Brown in 1838 from Church Missionary Society.

The land was not confiscated. Dr Vincent O'Malley, the to go-to historian for the council and local iwi, made it clear this land was not confiscated.

After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, William Hobson revisited all the pre-Treaty land deals through Land Commissioner [William] Spain.

The NZ Settlements Act 1863 relating to land confiscations for tribal rebellions certainly did take Tauranga land and in rounded figures 290,000 acres in total was initially confiscated, of which 240,000 acres was subsequently returned or purchased by the Crown so that the final net area confiscated area was just 50,000 acres.

(Abridged)

Rob Paterson
Mount Maunganui

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