Letters: On begging, 10c a small price to pay for a lesson in humility

A reader says 10 cents is a small price to pay for a lesson in humility. File photo

I agree with the editorial (Opinion, January 24) that the business of begging is curious.

If my two cents are worth anything, I would like to point out a few salient points.

Under no circumstances can we know the entirety of a person's life, beggar or not. Therefore it behoves us not to judge a person based upon a few poignant conditions; this person has grubby clothes or this person has scruffy hair.

When encountering a person, beggar or not, we are given the opportunity to pause for reflection; who are they, where did they come from? 10 cents is a small price to pay for a lesson in humility.

The art of giving is indeed that; an art, and giving without expectation is the key to that art.

An act of compassion without thought for return or reward is an act of selflessness. And in the act of selflessness through the proffering of a few words or a few coins we can gauge the depth of our own compassion and therefore resolve to end the sufferings of both ourselves and the beggar.

Kene Huia Campbell
Pongakawa

Rural park must still be managed

I have been very interested in reading the correspondence about Centennial Park. I completely agree with Bernadine Jessep (Letters, January 19). I have also found difficulty in being able to reach the memorial trees of two of my greatest friends.

I have been visiting the park for about 15 years and I have never seen it in such appalling condition.

Joseph Gielen (Letters, January 24) points out that this area is a rural reserve. He is quite correct. But always in the past sheep have been grazing so it was kept in perfect rural condition. For the past few months, there has been not a single sheep in sight.

Now the grass is so high I believe it would be a fire risk in this hot weather. Also, the grass has grown too long for sheep to graze as they will not eat grass in this condition.

Cattle would be needed to clean it up first. If they were put in they could cause a lot of damage to young trees, plaques, fences and much more.

No way do we expect the park to be mown like town parks, but we do expect it to be managed properly as a rural park, not an overgrown wilderness.

Also, the beautiful maple grove is getting overgrown and full of weeds, totally out of hand, which is so sad when you realise how much work has been put into this garden over the years. It is shameful to see it so neglected.

Come back Garry Page, we need you.

Mary Barton
Glenholme

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