Letters: Photo captures the joy of snow

Phoebe Fagan (left) and Paige McClean in Mamaku. Photo/Stephen Parker

Congratulations Stephen Parker for the front page photo (Rotorua Daily Post, July 14) of two young Mamaku girls enjoying falling snow around them.

He captured beautifully the dark bush background that showed the falling snow to stunning effect. The joy and delight for the girls was evident to see.

HELEN RITCHIE
Rotorua

Personal choice
Two subjects were brought up during recent discussions with our local MP, the first was euthanasia - whether it should be legalised - this has been a tricky subject that has arisen in Canada and the UK while I worked there.

My personal opinion is that if a person finds life so intolerable that they can take no more then - provided a doctor is happy that the situation is as stated and that the nearest and dearest are in full accord - then there should be no governmental interference in the act.

Like it or not, death or life is a very personal thing.

The second subject was marijuana - should it be legally available to anyone who wants to smoke it (or whatever else they use it for).

My argument is simple - its use is less harmful than tobacco and/or alcohol. Ergo its use will do less harm to the user who will more than likely imbibe only the marijuana (which does have proven medical benefits) and be neither able to afford, nor to find the need for tobacco or alcohol, both having hundreds of years of infamy to their discredit.

The ultimate benefit to user authorities (ultimately the taxpayer) should outweigh the argument against!

JIM ADAMS
Rotorua