Letters: Waikeria riots inquiry should be independent

Inside Waikeria Prison in 2018. Photo / Dean Purcell

Family members of Waikeria inmates have claimed complaints regarding poor conditions in the facility were dismissed prior to the protests.

This despite two reports by the Ombudsman in 2019 calling for improvements in poor conditions in the 110-year-old building. (These are reported to have been acted upon with
"glacial speed".)

The Corrections Department is initiating internal reviews of the protests. It is, however, vital in my view, that any inquiry be totally independent.

Jackie Evans
Pukehangi

We old 'uns are always crowing on about things that we had when we were young so I believe it is only fair to mention some of the many things we didn't have.

For example, we didn't have plastic bags so shopping had to be taken home in baskets or cloth bags or even paper bags!

We didn't have cell phones so we had to talk to each other face-to-face.

We had very little TV and no computers, so we were mostly outdoors playing.

There was little choice in shops so we had to eat healthy foods such as green vegetables and we had to drink milk or water. (In glass bottles - ugh!)

We didn't have helmets so we often got scratches and bruises but then a bit of sticking plaster was applied and away we went.

There were hardly any aircraft so the skies were blue, and the clothes were not as fancy, so they lasted longer.

Few women had jobs so they stayed home and looked after the children - but then, house prices were based on what the house cost to build, so our folks didn't need vast sums to pay for the houses, one wage was enough.

We didn't travel very far so local businesses benefited from our spending.

Yes, we were pretty deprived, mostly we only had each other, friends and neighbours.

How bad was that!

Jim Adams
Rotorua

I live out east and was appalled at the traffic mayhem going into town recently.

It is not a very good welcome to the holidaymakers we desperately need.

Could today's technology not come up with a temporary lighting system at the roundabout?

At least if we waited for some time we would have a full flow in turn.

Brian Winks
Ōwhata