Hundreds flocked to Mission Bay to cool off as Auckland enjoyed the small heatwave in 2013. Photo / Greg Bowker
March 1 is a date I await with trepidation, for that is the night some simpering weather presenter glowingly announces it is the "official" first day of autumn. Usually when this happens I am sitting in my sweaty living room with the air conditioning fully on, wondering where on Earth he or she got this idea.
As any good scientist knows, autumn starts with the autumnal equinox some three weeks later. This is why, year after year, summer weather continues well into the first weeks of March. After the equinox is when you will see an acceleration in the rate of deciduous trees shedding their leaves.
Why is it that a group of purported scientists (meteorologists) resort to folklore when it comes to the changing of the seasons, and then present it as fact? It is about time that Metservice and the like announced that using calendar months to denote the seasons is just a convenience measure, and not an official indication of the start and end of each season.
Keith Freeman, Parakai.
How lucky were the American tourists forced to spend a night at a marae? Imagine being in the US, having a flight cancelled and receiving accommodation in a tepee at a local pueblo.
What an amazing cultural experience that would be.
So many "cultural experiences" tend to be nothing more than a tourist trap. In this case however, the American tourists would have been met with genuine Maori hospitality without the tourist trappings, giving a genuine cultural experience long forgotten in the pursuit of the tourist dollar. Has Auckland's accommodation crisis presented us with a whole new tourism opportunity?
Kent Millar, Blockhouse Bay.
Surely the front page article about tourists and homeless all having to be accommodated on the ever generous Te Puea Marae is proof, if any were needed, that Auckland has a housing and accommodation crisis. So far the Government has only fiddled around the edges of the problem.
Of course you can't make up a deficit of quality housing quickly and we are falling further behind demand. Building companies say they are being constrained by lack of tradesmen who can't afford to live in Auckland. It's a vicious circle.
I believe Auckland has reached the stage where a national emergency, or equivalent, could be declared. The army used to be good at building camps. You can make perfectly acceptable temporary housing with Nissen huts or containers.
Then Immigration could get its act together and rapidly process overseas tradesmen who had been interviewed and offered jobs by building companies for say 1-3 year contracts.
If it were declared an emergency, the whole of Auckland could be a special housing zone so land restrictions could be lifted and consents fast-tracked. I know there will be objections but many would be relieved the Government was finally acting with a sense of urgency.
Dame Jenny Gibbs, Orakei.
Instead of the default position of blaming the Government, are there any media staff and politicians in New Zealand who will actually present the facts as to why so many families are living in motels? I know there can be unexpected and serious financial and health catastrophes as well as the landlord selling the house, so let us hear about those, along with rent arrears, illegal drugs manufacture and use, violence, vandalism, complaints from neighbours and similar anti-social attitudes and behaviour.
Children are the ones who suffer most with constant upheaval and insecurity when they have parents who have made, and keep making, poor life choices, including not limiting the size of their family, so who will address this also?
Fiona Allen, Papatoetoe.
In your story "Pukekohe to Huapai diesel rail service rejected", Auckland Transport stated diesel trains did not meet the fire safety standards for the Waitakere tunnel.
Past claims against passenger trains to the northwest have also included that the tunnel is not big enough, that a trial service a decade ago didn't work, that the cost and supposed disruption would be too much, and there's not enough diesel trains in stock.
Assessing the next 30 years, Auckland Transport's website states, "with an extra 75,000 people living in the northwest area, significant new transport infrastructure will be needed". Right now the massive "Huapai triangle" special housing area, immediately adjacent to the redundant Huapai rail platform, is crawling with bulldozers.
Despite phenomenal growth being unleashed, there remains no plan or budget whatsoever for this fully functioning freight line to be shared by passengers. The Rodney Local Board advocates a diesel shuttle service such as Pukekohe currently enjoys, to connect our community to the electrified rail network. It doesn't need to be 10 hours a week on SH16 for commuters.
Cameron Brewer, chair, transport committee, Rodney Local Board.
To all the cyclists that ride around the waterfront early morning on the way to the city, nice to see you and enjoy your ride. You should note, however, the rules of the road are single-file when you are passing other vehicles, including parked cars.
When you ride through Kohimarama two abreast in a line 100 metres long, passing all the parked vehicles, you are breaking the road rules, so don't yell abuse when motorists pass you. Single-file is the rule, safer for you and other road users.
Douglas Anderson, Glendowie.
Since the discussion of the Labour Party leadership has been in the news, the person I would like to see as leader is Annette King. She speaks clearly and confidently. She is compassionate and has common sense.
She has truckloads of political experience, energy and a positive personality. She is well respected and has integrity. It is time for another woman to step into the role and the time is now for Annette King.
Rachael Scott, Birkenhead.
Many politicians depend on the public having a short memory. Bill English calls environmentalists "tree huggers" and blames them for the housing shortage because they want regulations to ensure safe and dry homes.
I thought the leaky homes disaster resulting from inadequate regulations in the 1990s, making thousands of homes uninhabitable and costing billions to repair, was a significant contribution to the housing shortage. Mr English needs to stop imitating Donald Trump and avoid scapegoating. His Government needs to take its responsibility on the housing shortage more seriously.
Geoff Barlow, Remuera.
I attended a family function in Mt Albert at the weekend. Inevitably conversation turned to the byelection. Not surprisingly, none of the "locals" who voted in the byelection did so with any real idea of who might become the new MP as a result of their voting. This was because the two leading contenders, Jacinda Ardern and Julie Anne Genter, were already MPs and victory for either would bring in someone from their party list.
National did not even bother to stand a candidate, but it is hypocrisy for Labour and the Greens to criticise National for not doing so when, in effect, they both did the same thing. The whole Mt Albert byelection has been an absolute farce and a complete waste of public money.
Phil Chitty, Albany.
I've had occasion over the years to work with CYFS and voluntary agencies' staff. We may need reminding that they have one of the toughest roles in the community, so often dealing with destructive and sometimes violent families, including some with profound mental and social health issues and addictions.
They are face serious physical danger, live with high community expectations and are frequently targeted by their clientele, politicians, citizens and special-interest groups.
They are often damned if they do or don't, under-resourced and accused of racism, sexism and other biases while seeking to support and encourage people with complex needs. Much of CYFS' work is confidential and they are not free to respond to criticism.
They will fail to achieve their statutory tasks in some cases, which easily make striking headlines and need considerable remedial attention. Let's however recognise the complexities of their vitally important work with some of the most vulnerable among us and assure them of support from the wider community.
John Marcon, Te Kauwhata.
Former Act president's lawyer claims sentence was too harsh, calls for home detention.