Letters: Glorious trees a civic asset

Sarah Fallen is partially blind and struggles walking up Victoria Ave with its uneven surface due to large tree roots.

The stunningly beautiful trees on Victoria Ave are an asset to Wanganui and a credit to the visionaries who planted them.

The heritage buildings and the plane trees are an immense drawcard to a lot of people who may otherwise never consider Wanganui as a place to live. Compare so many towns with no trees — boring and dull.

In reading the front page article on June 26, "Footpath from Hell" the consensus from different people varies from repairing and repaving the footpath to ripping out the trees.
What would the Europeans do, those countries who adore their old trees on their pavements, people who appreciate their heritage?

Trees are an important aspect to making a place pleasing and livable.

Could the pavements be slightly elevated so the roots do not trip up pedestrians?
Could the walking areas around the trees be narrower? They are incredibly wide footpaths by any standard.

Could the council please seek a compassionate option that includes saving the trees while helping out the pedestrians and those who find traversing this quarter difficult.

GREG WOODCOCK
Wanganui East

Heating benefit

In a recent TV interview on the subject of the new home heating benefit, Simon Bridges criticised the Government for allowing the wealthy to also receive this benefit. The interviewer told him there was provision for people to opt out if they were not in need of assistance, to which Bridges quipped "Good luck with that".

Simon, are you saying that your wealthy, National voters are greedy, grasping, nest-feathering folk who show no interest in the overall good of their country and their fellow Kiwis?

And, yes, you wealthy who have Community Cards, or any other government subsidies that you don't need, are, indeed, beneficiaries. Welcome to the club of the really needy.

DENISE LOCKETT
Castlecliff

Against 'H'

I congratulate David Cotton for voting against putting the "H" in the spelling of Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council.

Here is the letter I sent the regional council, which was totally rejected:

"I read in the paper (May 24) you are debating whether to insert the "H" in Wanganui.
"At the time, I wrote to all Wanganui District councillors, the New Zealand Geographic Board and the Minister of Land Information, Louise Upston, that there is no 'H' in Wanganui.

"I sent a copy of the Treaty of Waitangi document which 14 Wanganui chiefs signed on May 23 and May 31, 1840, signing it as 'chiefs of Wanganui'.

"There are six Wanganui places in the South Island spelt without the 'H'.

"The Wanganui Maori chiefs accepted this pronunciation and spelling in 1840, so who are you to change it 178 years later?"

IAN BROUGHAM
Tawhero

Clarity please

The debate around the "End of Life Choice Bill" often elicits vitriol directed towards religious adherents, "nutters" being a common opprobrium.

We nutters are also frequently reminded of rights of free speech, etc.

So, I appeal to those in favour of euthanasia to exercise rational language to show us nutters the way out of our religious delusions.

When one kills oneself with intent, it is suicide. When another person is involved it is homicide. Any act intent on ending life is killing; e.g., we would never say soldiers assist the enemy in dying. Stop confusing us nutters. You favour a form of legalised homicide, legalised killing.

Express this clearly. Be clinical. Be rational. You are free to do so.

And please never mention compassion and mercy.

We nutters attribute these evident, but not quantifiable, traits to the spirit and soul of man, endowed by our Creator.

There is no scientific or rational explanation for subjective sentiment in a godless world view. Besides, someone might mistake you for a religious nutter if you refer to such things; your opportunity to enlighten them and us could be lost.

TEDDY R MARKS
Wanganui

Send your letters to: The Editor, Wanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Wanganui 4500; or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz