Letters: Has Whanganui missed the bus?

Whanganui is a wonderful place to view heritage passenger transport structures; the museum's waka taua, the river steamer, electric tram, Durie Hill elevator, airport control tower, Dublin St Bridge, Castlecliff wharf, Kaitoke "motorway" and, last but not least, the Ridgway St bus station.

I have travelled by Intercity bus from Ohakune to both Whanganui and Palmerston North many times over the past decade, and for a few years, both cities were competing strongly to be the town with New Zealand's most out-of-the-way, antiquated, run-down and least attractive inter-city bus station.

About five years ago, Palmy threw in the towel and started competing with Ohakune instead. It moved its bus station to the middle of the town, close to its attractive i-SITE centre, whose staff sell souvenirs, bus tickets and provide other information.

It is situated in a relaxing, landscaped area with plenty of shelter for those waiting, extensive toilet facilities and modern luggage lockers, as well as nearby food shops, accommodation and taxis.

May I suggest Whanganui do the same?

JOHN ARCHER
Ohakune

Praise for The Vicar

Congratulations to Chris McKenzie, cast members and everyone involved in producing such a wonderful The Vicar of Dibley show. We laughed from start to finish. The casting was spot on, set fantastic and outfits amazing, especially Letitia's hats. I wholeheartedly recommend this show to anyone who wants a rollicking good time.

MARGARET WILKINS
Springvale

Harbour funding

Re correspondence (June 14) on the Harbour Endowment Fund.

Many thanks to the Whanganui District Council for the rapid response. We now know the said fund exists and its purpose, but where was it spent and how much? The overall appearance of the port is one of neglect and disrepair.

There are still unanswered questions.

During the period of the port being leased to private enterprise (about 20 years) what happened to endowment monies?

Who was responsible for maintenance? Also, rumour has it that the fund is inviolate, not to be sold off, or if so, to be reimbursed to the same value. Is this still the case?

On good authority, the 1980 return was $100,000. That was 39 years ago!

Can anyone enlighten us, please?

ERIC PARKER
Castlecliff

Altered states

Martin Hanson (letters June 21) says no one argues for a ban on alcohol. I do.

Alcohol and cannabis are both dangerous substances that cause immense damage to individuals and society.

We don't need mind-altering drugs unless we're unhappy with our current state, agreed?

ANGELA STRATTON
Wanganui

Article sparks musings

Whanganui has lost one of its All Blacks to old age, a gentleman of the highest order, I am told, and the members of the union he led at Affco were pleased he kept them working when leaders were shutting other works down.

There is more enlightenment in the article on him, and it is an observation on climate change. During his 1953-54 All Black tour he had to play on straw laid to cover the snow. Scotland, shortly after, laid an electric blanket under the soil to warm it.

The planet at that time was going through a cold period alarming the scaremonger types. They had a meeting in 1970 to announce the disaster they said we were facing, the world would be out of fossil fuel and 4 degrees colder by the year 2000.

They missed the boat. It was already warming, so their tune changed to global warming. When that stalled for 20 years, it became climate change and now it has become climate degradation.

We now have satellites and TV that beam pretty photos into our homes, telling us what is going to happen. Even then, they get it wrong sometimes.

The ferocious storm did not make landfall; back in the day we would not have known it had existed.

In the past some nations were ashamed of natural disasters, so they kept them secret. When they could no longer do that, they realised they could gain financial help by crying disaster so their cries have got louder.

Disaster sells, the bigger, the better.

G R SCOWN
Whanganui

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