Letters: Jihadi Taylor needs to change

"LITTLE help available to 'Kiwi Jihad'" read the headline (Chronicle, March 5). Serves him right.

Those columns about Isis jihadist Mark Taylor's well-deserved "plight" in Syria, reveal repeatedly — by his own words — that he knows very well he did grievous wrong by his hatred of innocent peoples, whose only "crime"was to have a different cultural or religious belief system.

I could not help notice, the only stated reason for his alleged "regret" about actively promoting hatred, was that he would have to do jail time.

Oh? So, no regrets about the killings and fears he and his group of nutters did to innocent people, then?

That says it all. Very glad to learn that New Zealand can do nothing to help such a life-form return to our country. Let him rot where he is, until we hear of some genuine regrets. Such regrets about the deaths and terror he caused by his belonging to Isis, and most certainly not by his cry-baby fear of being locked up.

And what are we to think, in this month of honouring womanhood, about his self-righteous arrogance, that he paid, twice, for "wife" sex slaves and "got stuck" with them although they were "no good" (his words). That terror organisation routinely buys and sells women for raping, as reported. Disgraceful.

I am easygoing, but I am intolerant of intolerance. Implacably so, in Mark Taylor's case, unless I hear of a mighty big change of attitude.

Leaving him in a Syrian prison while he "contemplates" his assaults on humanity, and hopefully learning from his former evils, is the best thing for him, for New Zealand, and the world. People can change, but he has to — not us.

STAN HOOD
Aramoho

Festival success

The Pauls Road Live Festival this year raised $10,000 for Gabbys Starlit Hope Charity for Wanganui Families with critically sick children.

First of all, we would like to thank the musicians who have once again given their talents and time so generously, the bands In Business, Dusta, Richard Littlejohn. From Auckland Burn the Bridges, Whiskey Mama, Bullfrog Rata and the Troublemakers with Janine Knap, Re-Set and The Replicants.

Also to the sponsors, Moore Law, Hardy Construction, Leigh Judd Law, Davicon construction, Campbell Auto, and A1 Hearing. Their involvement allowed us to manage costly overheads.

To our generous helpers (too many to name) .. this is why the event works so well — because we have a team of friends whose enthusiasm and drive helps make the Pauls Rd live fest possible. But it is the fans whose appreciation for live music keeps them coming back bigger and better each year.

What a great day, what a great charity and what a great festival.

Disappointed that last Monday's Chronicle publication was incorrect. We and many others felt it was a poor representation of a very successful day. The most upsetting feature being the incorrect names of musicians performing. The ones mentioned were from previous years.

DEAN & MARIAN BUTLER, FRED LOVERIDGE, KERRY O'SULLIVAN
Whanganui

■Fantastic result, a Whanganui asset that goes from strength to strength. Congratulations. Our apologies for incorrectly naming some of the bands involved. We'll do better for you next year. — Editor

Punishment needed

Media coverage of the Dame Shipley court appearance seems to be history repeating. I would like to see a different ending to this story.

Another National MP Sir Douglas Graham and fellow MP Bill Jeffries were convicted of making false statements as Directors of Lombard Finance that impacted with a $125 million loss on 4400 mum and dad investors. Calls for Graham that were taken to court to hand in his knighthood were quickly killed off by the National Party old boys' network.

Now we have Dame Shipley being "reckless" and as a director of Mainzeal operated that company for nine years while it was insolvent. She told the judge it was a "perfect storm".
Sadly for her, the judge did not agree and pointed out the $110 million debt hurt thousands of "subbies" and workers. Great she got slammed with a $6 million fine or debt repayment; suddenly it now seems Mainzeal's insurance will cover this cost. If the company was insolvent for nine years, how can that be?

If I was the insurance company, I would be running away from the liability at a 160 km/h.

I believe Shipley should hand in her damehood. I just hope the Labour Party old girls' network doesn't dive in and protect her. Shipley needs to pay for what she did; some people say her mana is now tarnished. Oh, really? She didn't have any, in my eyes, in the first place, and I'm sure in the eyes of thousands of innocent New Zealanders who had their benefits axed by her.

Perhaps she might like to refund all her Mainzeal director's fees and expenses to a worthy charity, for starters.

BOB WALKER
St John's Hill

Send your letters to: The Editor, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Whanganui 4500; or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz