Where to from here?

Dot McCulloch

Opinion

by Dot McCulloch

During the time of no power and no internet, there was not much choice but to read, sleep or think. It was too wet outside, so thinking is what I did and came up with this . . .

I would like to congratulate us all for coming through this trying time — some with a smile — be they volunteers who knuckled in and helped, the officials, police and others who did their best to make some sort of order of our neck of the woods, and whoever else took part in the recovery effort.

Banks and a cashless society . . . what a hoot, being cashless when eftpos and the ATMs can’t work. Why did the banks put us on this track? Probably because relying on machines means less staff. It was easier for them and easier maybe for us — sure! To dispense with cheque books may have been a good idea but it also disadvantaged a lot of people and organisations who were not able to become computer literate, or never wished to, or could not afford to.

Banks themselves have changed. Kiwibank said it was “the bank for the people”, so many changed to it. I’m glad I didn’t, because it closed branches in small communities. Even our Gisborne branch is now in a pharmacy in Kaiti. What a lot of poppycock.

Post offices used to be in corner shops or sometimes in the corner of a house in pioneering days . . . now they are back in the corner of a shop again. Is that progress? Is it also progress to have all our mail sent to Palmerston North to be sorted and anything for Gisborne to be sent back here . . . and often not arriving, especially if it was a handwritten letter? Cutting down on staff?

I made a decision a while back that if I was ever in a shop or supermarket when the power went off, I would go to the most senior cashier as they could be the only one there who can do maths and give change. Years ago when calculators first came in they should have been allowed at exam times for half an hour to answer specific questions, and then the brain should have been used. It would have given kids more confidence in money matters and ensured they are able to reason things out.

Too many of our young people have been given a type of freedom that is not good for them or for our future, where they have no respect, and no retribution. Some run roughshod over authority and get a slap on the hand with a wet bus ticket. Look at the ram raids and other crimes being committed by young folk. Where are the parents? Are children being brought up to think that behaviour is acceptable? Bears thinking about.

Patience, responsibility and respect. Many young people don’t think they should do a job they are not interested in, when they could be gaining work experience and earning a wage until the job they want and might have trained for becomes available . . .

jobs like working in restaurants, cleaning motels or working in the fields. Yet these young people expect to go to a hotel, restaurant or whatever and get the service they demand. Some decide it’s not worth working for just a few dollars more than they can receive from the unemployment benefit. These things don’t add up.

Something is lacking in the education of kids who are not taught the basics of living like sewing a button on, mending the hem of a skirt, cooking a basic meal, and taking care of themselves health-wise.

Buildings — our pioneers built their houses on piles for a reason. The flat land in this region used to have water flow over it freely when it rained heavily. It flowed under the houses and spread the silt on the land, probably enriching it. Now rivers are contained inside stop banks and the river bed rises as the river is not dredged.

Years ago when we had a Catchment Board separate from GDC, I asked a friend who worked for them why the river was not dredged. He wanted to know what I would do with what was dredged up and when I replied build the stop banks higher, he just laughed. Maybe I was before my time.

Why aren’t all householders required to have water tanks? I have one and have taken water to Arohaina and hairdressers in the past, and shared with neighbours also. In parts of Australia water tanks have to be included in building plans. Needs consideration from GDC.

Building inspections — why aren’t these provided by private businesses? They would all be accredited and with equal expertise across the nation, we would not have crises like leaky homes. The service would also be business-like, with no excessive delays.

Telephones — I have a medic alarm attached to my land line, and got a message about attaching it to my cell phone. After the recent storm, neither worked. Why has a boffin not come up with a solution?

Slash has given us a lot of heartache, and I’m wondering why the powers that be have not done something about it already. In Canada, forestry workers have to deal with the slash as they fell trees. Slash dams seem like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.

Here endeth my thesis — I hope it has given you all something to think about. I look forward to comments and criticisms, and perhaps some other words of wisdom.