'A sandwich for lunch fed many of us in our youth.'
A simple school lunch solution
Am I missing something here in feeding your family and school lunches?
As post-war kids born in the 1940s and 50s, I dare say along with mine, many families struggled to put food on the table.
There was no hint of school lunches being provided and if you took your lunch to school, a sandwich wrapped up in paper did the job. Many a time we shared our sandwich with our friends who didn’t have any.
Problem? No, we just got on with it and we seem to have survived now in our 70s to not depend on handouts. For those who did buy their lunches there were a few choices, but no “special” food. If you want “special” bring it yourself.
I realise times are hard, but we have been through them before. A sandwich for lunch fed many of us in our youth and we’re still here. Time to eat simple food again, yes?
Gill Court, Howick.
Breakfast of champions
The suggestion of providing breakfast in schools is a worthwhile one from correspondent Bernard Walker (Feb 19).
The day starts with a healthy breakfast and children who arrive at school before 9 o’clock are able to enjoy nourishment before the day of learning begins.
It’s a scheme that has operated in many primary schools where children arrive early on buses or walk distances while their parents have gone to work. Quietly over the years, groups from churches and other organisations have noted this need and have provided basic, non-perishable goods for breakfasts; other items such as milk and fruit have come locally from interested firms.
Bread and spreads can later be made into sandwiches by the students who have no lunch provided from their homes. This works especially where non-teaching staff have been able to assist the lunch-making, also noting quietly those children who are in need.
This is a community, not central governmental, initiative – Kiwi “can do” and a keen caring attitude have been alive and active over generations of primary school children.
Diana Burslem, Epsom.
Bare cheek
The three pitch invasions and a streaker at Eden Park during the opening round of Super Rugby make a mockery of our laws.
Instead of protecting the players, officials and enjoyment of the spectators, the laws are there to protect the miscreants.
If the law allowed for security to properly deal with these delinquents, the pitch invasions would have ended with the first one being carried off on a stretcher wearing a neck brace.
Kent Millar, Blockhouse Bay.
Retail therapy
I live in the Auckland CBD and have done for 30 years.
On Friday I walked up poor old dirty, empty-shopped, scooter-speedster-perilous Queen St. I wanted to buy my lovely husband a Valentine’s Day present … we’re old, why not?
In many of the shops I entered I felt no love, the assistants inched forward with little enthusiasm. Reluctantly, I walked up as far as Farmers at the Victoria St intersection. Upon entering the store, I felt elevated.
It smelt fresh; it was clean with bright lighting and the staff were outstanding. Not only did they greet me upon arrival, but they guided me to what I was looking for. And I found exactly what I had been looking for, the assistant led me to the product and told me how she, too, used it and loved it. Of course I bought it, in fact I bought two.
Feeling good about the experience, I then went up the escalator and found a marvellous gift for my husband. I walked down Queen St smiling and happy, oblivious of the somewhat challenging environment.
Good old Farmers – I can now say I’ve shopped there for 60 years.
Maryanne Mummery, Auckland CBD.
Wrong road
Bruce Cotterill is right, we do need to get NZ “back on track”, but which track? (Feb 15).
He is seemingly attracted to what US President Donald Trump is doing – destroying American democracy and introducing fascism. Does he really want us to go down that road?
Does he really want us controlled by a solipsist and a bunch of billionaires? I seem to remember that Hitler made the trains run on time and revived the German economy by rearming – but he also started WWII.
It is hardly surprising we are in a recession given the actions the coalition Government has taken to cut spending and investment. However, you cannot just conjure up growth.
Economic growth requires investment of both time and money and a strategy. There is absolutely no sign Christopher Luxon is interested in either.
Companies borrow money to grow, people borrow money to buy a house, countries borrow to invest in infrastructure so that the economy can grow, create wealth, raise more in tax and repay the borrowing – it really is very simple.
On the opposite page, Liam Dann talks about the “voodoo economics” promoted by Reagan and Thatcher. Yes, that created economic growth, but the real benefits went to the wealthy and we are now paying the price with the rise and rise of the billionaires.
I know which road we should be going down and it is certainly not the one Mr Trump is on. Be very careful what you wish for.
Julian Fitter, Katikati.
History lesson
Six terrifying words were uttered in the Herald, “It’s Trump and Putin’s world now” (Feb 15).
This evokes visions of a world devoid of decency and compassion where a dictator and a dictator in training can decide the fate of a once-sovereign Ukraine struggling to survive.
It’s hoped reporter Roland Oliphant’s analysis of Ukraine’s future is overly pessimistic, but it’s difficult to predict Donald Trump’s mercurial decision-making processes, particularly considering his enthusiasm for Vladimir Putin.
There are frightening parallels between 2025 and 1938, when Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia under the passive gaze of Europe. Eighty-seven years later, Ukraine is the sacrificial lamb and it’s concerning that the US is more focused on deal-making with Russia, which is brutal and contemptuous towards any nation deemed weaker than itself.
It is crucial to remember that Trump 1.0 sided with Putin against his own intelligence officials regarding Russian interference in the 2016 US election, despite evidence to the contrary.
How many times do we need to learn the lessons from history before it’s too late?
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Going concern
I wonder if we really need to promote New Zealand as a tourist destination for Australians.
Since the coalition Government came into power there has been a huge exodus of Kiwis to Australia, largely because the salaries are much better. The lay-offs of government workers are an additional incentive.
It is to be hoped many of these migrant New Zealanders will take their holidays back home when they return to visit friends and families. Do we really need to tell these people “Everyone must go”?
Peter D Graham, Helensville.
Rent rises
Susan Grimsdell (Feb 15) is only the latest correspondent complaining that rents have not reduced, as the Government had promised.
Rental income on domestic property is 1% or 2%, regardless of mortgage interest being deductible or not. Capital gain then makes up the difference to other investments.
When property prices slump, rent rises must fill the gap. Like a waterbed, you push one side down and another goes up.
No prizes for guessing: the same mechanics will increase rents even further when a future Labour Government introduces a capital gains tax.
K.H. Peter Kammler, Warkworth.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “gang” as an organised group of disorderly young people. It defines “cult” as it also defines a “Christian” as a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Christianity. Bishop Tamaki’s Man Up disciples are a Christian gang who do not appear to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, as evidenced in their recent gang-like behaviour.
Ian Doube, Rotorua.
The PM’s recent announcement that he’s going to promote NZ to Australians sounds wonderful, but does he realise Australians already top the list for tourists entering NZ? And they’re exempt from paying the $100 international visitor levy. I don’t understand this exemption because they do visit our beautiful national parks and walks, yet don’t contribute a cent. This is something Christopher Luxon could easily tweak right now.
Janet Hird, Taupō.
During recent weeks there have been considerable mutterings about the school lunches. The Opposition has regaled anyone who will listen that the coalition Government has failed to keep its election promises, RSA members have been starting each sentence with “when I was at school”, and at bridge clubs between hands players have discussed what they had on their sandwiches as children and what they gave their children for their school lunch. The questions I would like to ask are: Who feeds these children during the school holidays, and are those meals more nutritious than the school lunches they so heavily criticise?
Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
I wonder if ASB Bank could devote part of its $1.6 billion profit to boosting its call centre staffing. Three calls, each waiting more than 15 minutes before I gave up. All initial calls picked up reasonably quickly – within a few minutes – but then the interminable wait to try to speak with a human.
Mark Hanson, Blenheim.
Can the Police Commissioner explain to the public why his officers always take a softly-softly approach to arresting Destiny Church lawbreakers? Anyone else would have been arrested for assault at Te Atatū Library last weekend. It seems Tamaki’s cult is immune to prosecution.
Lars Lundgren, St Heliers.
If Destiny Church were serious about protecting our children then it would be protesting outside churches, as a child is far more likely to be abused by a church member than a drag queen.
Laurence Mallon, Te Atatū.
At Bible class, admittedly nearly 60 years ago, we were told Jesus preached tolerance and I cannot believe he would have encouraged his disciples to storm a library full of children.
Tony Sparkes, Albany.
The Olympic men’s high jump is an event of the highest prestige and significance. Hamish Kerr won this event at last year’s Paris Games. No other New Zealander, including the winner of the supreme Halberg Award, even came close to Hamish’s astonishing achievement. I predict the Halbergs will now lose support and prestige because of this perverse decision.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
The streakers who invade a sports fixture always get the loudest cheer and laughter for their bare-faced cheek, and it would be the only time opposing fans become united in their support during the match. So top marks to the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Mark Mitchell, who told a Herald reporter that changing legislation around punishments for pitch invaders wasn’t “currently a priority” for the Government.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Former Act president's lawyer claims sentence was too harsh, calls for home detention.