MARK McGHIE
Bastia Hill
Praise for bus service
Horizons' bus service — special thanks to them. My wife Venus uses a set of crutches, the drivers pull into the kerb so she can alight easily.
Kathy, the bus driver, puts the gangplank down, which is attached to the front door of the bus. My wife is grateful for this service.
VENUS AND HUGO GADSBY
Whanganui
Fallen Breweries
It is a wonder that anyone bothers to visit Wanganui (and please don't spell it with an H, because I was raised in Wanganui), when the "voice of the province", the Chronicle, gives on its front page (Sat May 18) such negative feedback.
We are all entitled to our opinions, thank goodness, and Gerrard Albert was kind enough to express his views, albeit it more blather than fact, and what does the Whanganui River have to do with the beer, in my opinion?
Wanganui has been given publicity that money can't buy by Fallen Breweries, who obviously did their homework on the kiwifruit factor in their beer, thus boosting the name of Wanganui with its beer and online reviews.
I wonder if any people who have tried the ale in Europe, and liked the product, decided to visit Wanganui on a trip to New Zealand, as a result of their interest in the tipple. Or whether they drive straight through as a result of the negativity created by the Chronicle with this article.
The adage "any publicity is good publicity" doesn't always apply, especially in articles such as this one. Come on, Chronicle, give the province a boost, embrace the generosity of Fallen Breweries naming a beer after the city.
Who knows, they may even send you a box to try if you were to put a positive spin on such a rare marketing opportunity. Something Wanganui seldom sees.
BARRY EDE
New Plymouth
Voting order
Regarding Carol Webb's criticism of the district council's decision on order of names on the upcoming elections voting papers:
Carol criticised mayor Hamish and some councillors for varying reasons over the decision to change from alphabetical to random. Damned if we do and damned if we don't, but that's democracy in action.
She criticised my vote for the status quo, alphabetical order, suggesting it was pro because my name was in the top half of the list. She failed to state my spoken reason for my vote. I voted against the motion to move to a random listing mainly because I considered all of us in that council meeting clearly had a conflict of interest and the decision should have been left to our outstandingly capable electoral officer who, I hasten to add, would know more about the electoral system than all of us — including Carol Webb — put together.
Carol failed to say, "Cr Anderson personally finds it insulting to our community that some say our voters don't know who they are voting for so start at the top and count down 12 spaces". I am sure my supporters can figure my name starts with A as in Anderson and not Z as in zero. Random is fine with me, but should not have been my call.
Carol says she is disgusted over our infantile behaviour. We do have a bit of fun at times, which lightens the day, but all decisions are made with the utmost seriousness and in the wider community's best interest.
As an aside, if this city was going backwards, this council would be blamed 100 per cent for that, but now it's romping ahead the reverse, in part, is true and should be acknowledged.
CHARLIE ANDERSON
Whanganui District councillor
Send your letters to: Letters, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Whanganui 4500; or email letters@wanganuichronicle.co.nz
