Your say: That drab bus depot is a poor look for Whanganui

Former acting prime minister Winston Peters -- his ratings are up and down

Following on from Mike Street's account of his very unfortunate experience with the driver for the InterCity bus who left him in Levin, I am writing about some dissatisfactions of my own.

I have tried to address these with InterCity via letter, and feedback on their website, but have had no response. I also wrote to Whanganui District Council and received a response in April (saying they had received my letter) but have heard nothing since.

My gripe is that the InterCity bus depot in Whanganui is woefully inadequate.

For 18 months now I have used the bus once a week (from Palmerston North) because it is convenient and I prefer to use public transport wherever possible.

However, the depot - at the far end of Ridgway St - requires me to walk 10-to-15 minutes to Victoria Ave. And when I catch the return bus to Palmerston North at 5.15pm, this is an unpleasant walk on a cold wet night.

I wait where there is limited shelter (there are two wooden forms outside for sitting, but only one is under shelter).

The depot closes its doors at 4pm, so there are no toilets available or inside shelter and the depot is exposed to the southerly wind.

Most often the bus arrives at about 5.10pm, but it has been known to arrive at 5.30pm or later - and it is very cold and getting dark in the winter evenings.

I'm sure Whanganui people would want those visitors who come by bus to have a friendly welcome to the city - and would want to provide a depot which is warm, safe and convenient.

I'm sure it takes some time to arrange another transit point and I suggest that until something more user-friendly is arranged the bus could drop off and pick up in Taupo Quay at the BP service station. There are toilets and coffee there, and it is not such an isolated area to get to by foot.

I look forward to a response from those who wish to improve Whanganui's image and extend its hospitality to bus passengers.

JANET MACE, Palmerston North

Poor bus service

I was appalled to read about Mike Street's experience with the InterCity bus (Chronicle; July 28) when he was left behind in Levin after he went to use the toilet.

This was inexcusable as he had already asked the driver to use the toilet because of a medical condition. It's not the first time I've heard of this kind of treatment.

I've lived in New Zealand for more than 40 years and have seen many improvements, but we still lag behind.

In America and Canada, Greyhound buses have toilets, so there is no need for someone to be caught short. Those with a medical condition do not have the embarrassment of asking a driver to let them use the toilet.

Although cost is always a factor in making improvements, I have no doubt that InterCity misses out on some fares as the elderly and those with medical conditions refuse to go by bus because they don't feel secure. I don't blame them.

SHARYN WYLIE, Whanganui

Winston Peters' rating

Winston, your supporters (some would call them sycophants), are giving you 9 out of 10 as Acting Prime Minister, but I think a 4 is more appropriate.

After all the teachers are now threatening to strike, the nurses have already been out, and it can't be long before the police and armed forces line up.

All this was made inevitable because you joined with the Greens to help a hopeless Labour Party win power. You could have stood on the sidelines.

Nevertheless, the knighthood letter may soon be in the mail - Sir Winston Peters has a ring about it.

I believe your eyes are on the governor-general's position which will become vacant about the end of this Parliament. What a fine end it will be to your career - a tax-free salary, a BMW and two lovely houses.

Like you, we just can't wait.

DAVID BENNETT, Whanganui

Fluoride fears

In reply to Elwyn Evans letter "Fluoride Hits Spot" (Chronicle; July 27):

Nobody is saying that water fluoridation (WF) causes instant death at the levels used for WF.

Instead it causes slow chronic poisoning because around 50 per cent of the fluoride ingested cannot be excreted so gets stored in the bones and organs of the body.

It works the same way as lead poisoning when it was used in paint and petrol. In fact there is more evidence to support fluoride poisoning of people than there was for lead poisoning when it was banned from use.

CAROLE JOHNSTON, Whanganui

Israel a beacon among despotism

The Middle East remains the region with the highest concentration of authoritarian regimes (European University Institute 2008).

The remarkable resilience of authoritarian regimes in the region (including North Africa) have stood in contrast to the democratisation that many developing nations have undertaken in the last two decades.

Israel stands alone as a real democracy with human rights for all residents in a sea of hostile neighbours who would like nothing more than to wipe the nation from the face of the earth.

President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the Jewish capital subsequent to "The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995", a US law passed in 1995.

Hostile despots surround Israel and journalists persist in seeing the Jews as the problem. Has the holocaust been forgotten so soon?

MANDY DONNE-LEE, Aramoho