Fonterra finds its heart

Make your way across the Dublin St Bridge toward Wanganui East (try to ignore the bumpy, pitted road seal, if you can) and look down and across to your left just before you reach the other side.

Bumper boats used to be there, where, for a small fee, you could hire a motorised craft and zoom around the pool, bumping into other such vehicles or take a solo trip across the water. It was a pleasant distraction on a sunny day and a fun place to enjoy with the family.

Now, it's an eyesore; an unpleasant distraction; uncared for, unkempt and unnecessary.

A short distance away is the children's park that we, as a community, have raved about for 50 years, so why is the extension of Kowhai Park such a disgrace? Have we cut costs on maintenance to such a degree that dilapidated is the new shiny? Or is someone waiting for someone else to do something about it?

So Bill English has let slip that about five New Zealand prisons are going to have to close. It's all about "efficiency" and "streamlining", which, as we know, are euphemisms for "cutting costs" and "shedding jobs". This government is hell-bent on slashing public service positions further still, but how far are they prepared to go? To the extent that the "service" part of the job no longer applies, because there are too few people to do the work? And why not? After all, big business is leading the way, forcing their employees to work longer hours to cope with existing work, so why shouldn't the government follow?

But, hang on ... isn't this the same government that wants to penalise beneficiaries for not finding work? Surely it would be more advantageous to create jobs, not get rid of them, or am I just thick? Obviously right-wing ideologies are too far over my head, but I don't see a lot of common sense in these "down-sizing" policies. Maybe I read too much Dickens, but if a government representing the rich ever wanted to put the lower classes "in their place", this is the way to go about it. Reduce job opportunities, force the populace to rely on "the state" (taxpayers) and then wave the big stick at them, telling them how useless they are that they can't get a job. I see an opening here for a reintroduction of the workhouses - and possible job opportunities for people (not too many) to run them.

It's not often I say this, but "Good on you Fonterra!"

Monday marked the beginning of an experiment in Northland, where 118 schools are being provided with free milk for their students. Cartons of long life, low fat milk (250ml) were offered to 133 schools in the region, to be delivered early enough for students to take with them into their classroom at the start of the learning day. It's to combat learning and behavioural difficulties brought on by poor diets and, often, no breakfast. Sounds like a good scheme which, if successful, will spread to other low decile schools around the country. How that success will be measured is not clear, but let's hope results are good enough for the rest of the country to benefit from this.

So, why did 15 Northland schools decline the generous offer? What part of "free milk" didn't they understand? One would assume that they have students who would profit from this, so why did they not accept the offer? Surely they can't all be lactose intolerant.

Being of "a certain age" I remember when free milk was delivered to all schools, and I, for one, enjoyed my half pint bottle every single school day until it stopped. Interesting to note, the scheme was started in 1937 under the first Labour government and ceased in 1967 under National. Again, it was to "cut costs". Now, 45 years later, in the absence of caring politicians, Fonterra has taken up the banner with renewed interest in the health of our children. I wonder if "milk monitor" will have the coveted prestige of decades ago.

Finally, Front Bit reminds all motorists that things are about to change on Sunday. Our ancient give way rule will mutate suddenly. We should be prepared for the chaos about to ensue.

We have some pictures throughout Midweek to illustrate the new rules, in the hope of preventing a few dented panels and frayed nerves this weekend.

Please learn the rules and "let's be careful out there" (thanks Hill St Blues).