Letters: Sand mining hopes overblown

G R Scown (September 22) is pleased the seabed sand miners (TTR) are appealing the decision against it. He says there would be much-needed economic activity for Patea and surrounds from seabed mining.

However, he is not clear how this could be, in any measurable way — like, what does TTR promise; how many jobs for locals; what tax, royalties and wages does it pay?

Instead, like in a game of "whack a mole", he pops up again with egregious statements about Maori. Continuing this vacuous rant, he opines that the closure of (Vestey´s) Patea meat works, was because of the "workers' work practices . .". But this again, is a distortion of the facts.

The Patea meat works did not meet hygiene standards newly demanded by our overseas markets. Vesty´s had the option, upgrade or close — they chose to close.

They had reduced their tax exposure in this country by registering their company in a country with nil tax; they were hugely profitable. Rather than spend money, they chose to cut and run, leaving a huge mess still on the riverbank.

No one welcomes another overseas-owned enterprise coming to take their profits and leave us a mess.

H NORTON
Kaitoke

Jail is safe option

In a recent Chronicle we were treated to the musings of a post-Damascene-conversion politician who, only after leaving government, decided that government was the problem.

This particular diatribe was apparently necessary because we are bad 'n' evil down here in New Zealand, and up in Iceland they are good – because the IcePops only lock up 47 people per 100,000, whereas we Kiwis lock up 217 people per 100,000.

Well, then! Let's check the facts, unpopular though that is with fanatics of every persuasion. But if you bien-pensants are going to opine about your fellow citizens being incarceration-driven bigots, Facts are highly relevant. I betcha knew them, were just short of space in your column, am I right?

TRUE: in Iceland you'd be 75 per cent less likely to be imprisoned, BUT you'd also be 70 per cent less likely to be murdered. AND you'd be 31 per cent less likely to be murdered in infancy. Also, in NZ we score highest for thefts from cars, second highest for burglary, fifth highest for assaults, 10th highest for robbery and 11th highest for theft of personal property and for sexual assaults against women — out of 34 countries.

I may be going out on a limb here, but more people doing crime means more people need to do time, yes?

Just on those statistics alone, think how much less safe New Zealand would be if we had fewer murderers, child-killers and violent offenders behind bars for considerable periods. Oh, wait a minute, Angry Andy, the Kelvinator and the Princess Mother are planning to try just that. Surely one Unfortunate Experiment in 40 years was enough?

Alternatively, and I know this is too radical for the victims of chronic cardiac haemorrhage syndrome (a.k.a. the bleeding heart brigades) to contemplate, quickly aligning our incarceration figures to those of noble Iceland simply requires the murderers to stop murdering, the rapists to stop raping, violent offenders to refrain from violence, and thieves to stop stealing.

There you go, boys and girls, and I didn't even charge you $1.5 million including Catering for the Rich and Shameless, for the solution. You're welcome.

RENE DE JONGH
Whanganui

Sports day worthwhile

I read June Hooper's letter in the Chronicle and my reaction was very unflattering.

I will list my reasons for supporting this event.

Our beautiful lake is overrun by ducks, geese and swans.

It is time to cull some of these because they are contributing to the disgusting water quality, so I don't care if a loudspeaker bothers them.

Our children are going to be the next athletes representing their country and they need encouragement, not unwelcome feedback.

Having to put up with children having fun and being noisy should fill you pleasure that they aren't attached to some digital device and are outside being physical.

Their sports day was for a limited time and you could have timed your solitary, quiet walk when they departed.

Why wasn't it held at the sports grounds? Why would they want to run on a boring track when they can run and scream and have fun on a public place? That's what these green spaces are for.

JENNIFER GRAMMATICOGIANNIS
RD4, Whanganui

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