Letters to the Editor: Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

A Hastings District Council water tanker with free water on Campbell St, Havelock North, after a gastro outbreak in Havelock North. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

Water fears 50 years ago
It would appear that some councils are making decisions without having done adequate research in their own archives.

In respect of Havelock North's recent water issues, there is a report compiled by in 1964 by the borough engineer H.E. Wright that clearly stated then the serious issues of the water problem.

The Wright report for example highlighted the following problems: "He discovered that the average December consumption had risen from 105 to 153 gallons per head between 1959 and 1963, a situation not helped by the fact that some of the wells were very old and that three dry years of flooding of the Ngaruroro river had resulted in lower well pressures.

"Quantity of water was a problem as Wright felt that as previous estimates had understated village growth, some serious efforts to find new water sources were needed".

This highlights the fact that if in the 1960s the residents of Havelock North had water issues, why would you grant a commercial access in the 21st century to the Hawke's Bay water free of charge unless you could guarantee the water supply for all your residents?

Common sense would say you should not grant consent unless you are quite sure that all the water issues of the past have been resolved.

Bruce Garner
Hastings

Railway danger
We write in regard to your article in the Hawke's Bay Today on Saturday, September 24, 2016, "Brothers to Clash at Ross Shield".

KiwiRail and TrackSAFE NZ are extremely concerned at the portrayal of young rugby players posing on railway tracks, even if they are used lightly.

Trespassing on railway lines (being on tracks anywhere other than a formed level crossing) is an offence under the Railways Act.

It is also incredibly dangerous, and the most common cause of rail-related deaths and major injuries in New Zealand and around the world.

In the past 10 years more than 170 people have died in this country from being hit by trains.

The tracks themselves can also pose a hazard. We are particularly concerned when images that seek to beautify/glamorise this activity are created and released publicly - especially without any appropriate caveats or warnings as to the illegality and danger.

We would not wish images to encourage others to emulate such photographs and potentially put their own lives as risk, especially on higher-use lines.

Not all trains are loud and, on the rare occasion someone survives a train collision, they will often state that they had been taken completely by surprise with the train's appearance as they could not recall hearing it approach.

We would also ask that you consider the trauma for New Zealand's train drivers from collisions and near-misses.

The toll that these events take on their mental health is well-documented.

There are many safe and picturesque locations in New Zealand to take photographs, so we ask in future that you choose a non-rail setting for photos in your publication.

Peter Reidy
CEO, KiwiRail and Megan Drayton, manager at TrackSAFE NZ

Unfair testing
Mark Story is quite right (Editorial, September 21) to question the resilience of today's youth but he is absolutely wrong to use the example of last week's algebra misadventure.

As 91027 is testing competence in a student's ability to "apply algebraic procedures in solving problems", not testing their courage under fire.

I am an experienced teacher of mathematics and I thought the task was a fine production, if it had been presented to Level 2 students as a homework assignment!

I remember the furore in 2002 (check NZ Herald, December 2) over a calculus exam that was much more challenging than expected.

I was pleased that my best students showed "true grit" and after the inevitable scaling their results were very good.

Scaling in the old days was widely criticised as the examination served as a ranking exercise with a large percentage of the cohort doomed to failure.

NCEA was meant to bring transparency as a student's ability was to be measured against fixed standards, and I do wonder if tweaking the marking of the MCAT to ensure grades fit the expected profile illustrates some of the shortcomings of the regime.

Returning to the editorial, the MCAT was not a fair assessment because most students were told by NZQA to bring a knife to a gunfight, even curmudgeons should acknowledge that.

Keith Simes
Hastings