Letters: Kudos to 'Mr Parks and Gardens'

Garry Page walks in Centennial Park. Photo/Stephen Parker

What an insight into the work of Garry Page in Jill Nicholas' beautiful story about Mr Parks and Gardens (Rotorua Daily Post, November 18).

I grew up in Rotorua and frequently return. Over the past 30 years I've returned in good times and some very bad ones, when my home town was on the bones of its arse. Despite the bouts of economic deprivation, the city's gardens always did us proud. They were immaculate and cheerful and increasingly far-flung as Garry and his team reclaimed more and more of the city and turned it into parkland.

Well done, Garry. I'm amazed that the council believes it no longer needs your expertise, vision and passion. I will be watching like a hawk on my next visit to see that the gardens are not regressing.

I am sure you won't be waiting long for your next opportunity.

CATHERINE WATSON
Australia

Legal expenses surprise

I reply to John Pake's letter (November 21) in which he refers to me as "the litigant". He was wrong to claim that the confidential settlement agreement is between myself and the Rotorua Lakes Council. The council was never a party to the legal proceedings triggered by my petition for an inquiry into the last local body election.

The settlement agreement resolved the legal proceedings between myself, as a mayoral candidate, Steve Chadwick as a mayoral candidate, and Geoff Williams who applied to the court to became a respondent in his personal capacity, not as CEO of the RLC.

I was therefore surprised to learn that the residents and ratepayers of Rotorua paid the legal expenses of Mr Williams and Mrs Chadwick totalling over $63,000.

REYNOLD MACPHERSON
Rotorua