Letters: Lightning suggested for mysterious marks on Redwoods trees in Rotorua

Could lightning be responsible for this mark on the tree? Photo / Supplied

I was out walking the dog in the Redwoods the other day and saw this damage to two trees.

The longest "rip" goes about three quarters the way up the tree. On the other tree it stops about halfway down.

I looked up some photos on the internet and I think this is a lightning strike from the storm the other week (or a very tall beaver!).

Anyway, thought it looked interesting.

LOUISE AND MATTHEW SHERMAN
Rotorua

Appalling assertions about cheating

I read today's column (Thursday, March 29) by Doug Laing with my mouth agape.

He, like some others, has been surprised by the weight of anger directed at the feckless Australian cricketers who attempted to cheat; that's his and others view, that's fine.

But, he loses the plot somewhat by then practically turning his column into an advertisement for cheating.

He states: ''in sport the rules are there to be broken'' and ''the key plank of sport is the camaraderie but another plank is cheating or bending the rules'' and, his most bizarre assertion, that ''part of the game is being the best cheat and getting away with it''.

If all this is not intended as tongue in cheek, these assertions are appallingly wide of the mark and a thoroughly bad example to all those who participate in sport, notably children.

Finally, for the record, David Warner, one of the cheating three, did not own up as Mr Laing states.

WILLIAM WRIGHT
Rotorua