Folly beyond imagining
Imagine hearing as the first news of the day, in December 2021, that a unique stand of indigenous forest in the middle of urban Auckland is about to be sold for development, and therefore, for felling. It's the "Kohimarama Forest" - 2.3ha of old-growth eco-system. The value of
such a block of land in maintaining the integrity of a city environment is incalculable.
Imagine further that Auckland Council has declined to buy this treasure, to conserve it, just days after announcing its grand plan, at long last, to look after our urban trees. Mayor Phil Goff has exhorted us (NZ Herald, December 6) to "chip in a buck and help save the planet". The power of such trees in stabilising urban temperatures in a global warming age is vital and the council should be tendering for their preservation, today.
If only I had imagined it.
But I did not. It is brute fact. It's happening, today, December 6, 2021; just weeks after the world's nations, almost wearily, resigned themselves to no meaningful changes in our environmental misbehaviour at COP 26.
There is the consolation that, at least in Auckland, we are not alone in our folly.
Denys Trussell, Newton.
Descent into violence
Correspondent Jock Mac Vicar (NZ Herald, December 1) is absolutely correct in saying our police force is being swamped by violent crime. The recent armed offender incident in Glen Eden when four officers were seriously injured, is yet another example of what is happening every few days in Auckland.
Police Association president Chris Cahill says there are just too many firearms in circulation, and getting close to a point where we live in a very dangerous society, with individuals "quite willing to pull the trigger". He describes the major gang problem, enhanced by those deported from Australia, as a situation that has no precedent. As reported (NZ Herald, December 2) gang numbers have doubled in the last five years, and now total over 8000.
Cahill says prison is the only place for these violent offenders, but the courts seem to find ways not to jail them.
The scenario is now dangerously out of control, and totally unacceptable. Police numbers are also diminishing because experienced officers are unwilling any longer to place themselves in harm's way.
Urgent action is required on all fronts.
Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Passport delays
One would have thought the Minister for the Covid Response would have learnt from the debacle of the initial implementation of the vaccination programme, but it seems not.
We now have some 100,000 who have been vaccinated but have not received their so-called passports (NZ Herald, December 6) and I understand there needs to be direct contact with those impacted.
Surely this process could have started weeks before the traffic light system was rolled out so these people would not have been inconvenienced?
Rod Lyons, Kumeu.
Fair trials
The prominent acquittal on appeal in New York of an innocent man who had served 16 years in prison for rape, and author Alice Sebold's gracious apology, (NZ Herald, December 2), should give supporters of the Sexual Violence Bill, presently before Parliament, serious pause for thought.
Barrister Samira Taghavi's warning that this Bill "... will put innocent men in prison" ( NZ Herald, July 7, 2020) should be heeded.
New Zealand has already experienced its fair share of men wrongly convicted of rape: Teina Pora (20 years in prison); Aaron Farmer (two years); David Dougherty (three years) come to mind.
I practised law in South Africa for over 40 years and was involved in many rape cases, and most men deserved their incarceration. However, rape is a crime that is susceptible to vengeful or false accusations, which are easy to make but difficult to counter.
All other crimes allow fair trial rights and to limit these rights in respect of rape because of feminist pressure sets NZ on a dangerous path to undermining our Bill of Rights and the Rule of Law.
Johan Slabbert, Warkworth.
Fast foils
The cruising speed of a hydrofoiling windsurfer can be about 20 knots, rising to 30 knots for an expert surfer.
Close to shore, the speed limit for boats is 5 knots. What is apparent to me from my observations of Narrow Neck Beach, is that foiling windsurfers are going very fast and that they do not always have full control of their craft.
People regularly swim some distance from the shore where they could be hit. Across the world, there have been reports of severe injuries to people as a result of windsurfing foiling accidents
What is the effect on schools of fish, turtles, dolphins or other marine mammals? If we are trying to restore the Hauraki Gulf surely we need to look at the effects of hydrofoils and reset our priorities and marry safe, fun activities with a thriving marine ecosystem in the Gulf.
Wendy Pettersen, Devonport.
