Your view: Complaint foils security efforts

The cameras in operation on council land at the entrance to Mowhanau.

I read with interest the Chronicle front page article "Camera raises privacy concern" (May 24).

The camera in question was requested by the residents of Mowhanau after burglaries in the village. The support from within the community was overwhelming, with more than 95 per cent of the residents contributing $100 each to purchase and install the camera.

The first site was objected to by the Munros on the grounds that the drive to their holiday home would be visible and their visitors could be monitored. As a result, the current site was chosen which does not cover any part of the Munro property.

In fact, the cameras are set up so they only record road traffic, which can also be observed by anyone looking at the time - hardly a breach of privacy unless observing a vehicle driven on a public road is a breach of anyone's privacy.

It appears that any complaint, no matter how trivial or unjustified, is taken seriously.

I have difficulty understanding why the desire of a community to protect itself against criminal activity should be frustrated by one holiday household who have gone nitpicking to the council when not adversely affected in any way.

SHAUN FORLONG, Mowhanau

Borrows muddled effort

In a recent muddled column, former MP Chester Borrows attempts to suggest Christians like Israel Folau are being more strict than Christ himself was during His time on Earth.

For those who have missed it, Mr Folau has said that unrepented sin will keep people from going to heaven, and referred to homosexuals specifically.

Mr Borrows asks: "Does he really think the gospels would record a different response had the Pharisees brought a gay man to Christ instead of a woman caught in adultery?"

I daresay Mr Folau, and any other Christian who knows their faith, would expect exactly the same response, which was that the person should turn away from sin - that is: "Go, and sin no more."

But then, Mr Borrows already knows that. So it appears that he is actually trying to put Christ aside by marginalising Christians who dare to stand by Him.

K A BENFELL, Gonville

Pumping cash

Leaving the petrol companies to set their own pump prices is equivalent to leaving a pig in charge of a bucket of strawberries.

LEN GOLDSACK, Gonville

Police absent

The New Zealand Police have introduced a new and reliable method of contacting the dead. Just go to their Wanganui station, ring the bell and wait.

GEORGE MACLACHLAN, St Johns Hill

Sharing the load

I heard a lady on the radio concerned about schoolchildren having four weeks holiday during the school year. She, as a working woman, cannot have that much time off to be with her children. I assume she has a husband.

I grew up in a world where a husband supported his wife and family, providing house, furniture and facilities. His wife was the homemaker and mother to their children, and for this she was given housekeeping. This seemed to work very well in the family I grew up in.

But I see many wives wanting to go out to work, and that creates problems - there are then three jobs to be done and only two people to do them. There is the added income but it comes with a cost.

Two people on their own can work together sharing their tasks, but when children come who is going to cook the meals, do the dishes, do the washing, clean the house, make the beds and so on?

TOM PITTAMS, Whanganui

Weird war tale

Here is a story that may interest readers.

My sister worked as a domestic at an upper-class boarding school at Potter's Bar in England whose proud boast was that it had educated Field Marshall Montgomery, known as "Monty".

He had a great attachment to his alma mater and spent his leave there whenever able.

When the German army was making its way in Libya towards the Suez Canal, Monty was sent to stop the advance.

He outwitted Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, and the victory over the German tank force was a turning point in World War II.

The outcome of that great battle was the capture of a lot of German supplies and one trophy was Rommel's magnificent caravan from where he conducted operations.

This trophy became Monty's special prize and he shipped it back to England and to his old school where it stood for all to admire.

Later Rommel was implicated in the plot to kill Hitler.

Because of his high rank and esteem, he was not hanged like his co-conspirators but given the choice to stand trial or commit suicide.

He chose the latter.

The staff at the college in Monty's old school tell of a day when all hell broke out in the caravan - the commotion was so great that all rushed to see what was happening, but there was no explanation.

A few days later, world news reported the death of Rommel.

The time of his death was the time of all the rumpus in his beloved caravan - did his spirit come back to farewell his cherished caravan?

TED DOWNS, Whanganui

Club applauded

On behalf of the Glasgow Street dance group, I wish to thank the Wanganui Cosmopolitan Club for graciously hosting this group's fourth annual Mother's Day dance.

Thanks, too, to the staff for their support in serving specialist coffees and luscious cupcakes to the dancers.

MARGARET JONES, Springvale