Whanganui letters: Rural people disadvantaged by courthouse closure

The Ohakune courthouse closed "temporarily" in September 2022. Photo / Bevan Conley

I write with regard to the closure of the Ohakune Courthouse and the article that followed it about a proposed “wellbeing hub” (News, March 10).

I would like to know how the “wellbeing” and “elevation” of rural people are to be addressed while a city that already has a hospital, a police station and a courthouse – which serve all people – gets more.

Vision is all very well, but by its nature it is distant. What we have right now is the sight of a closed facility and rural people being seriously disadvantaged. Surely the focus for undivided attention and positive action should be on upgrading the Ohakune courthouse?

This would go a long way toward ensuring the wellbeing of a rural community. These are our people, and what affects them affects us all.

REV ROBIN PEIRCE

Marton

Climate action priorities questioned

An interesting juxtaposition in the Chronicle (March 8).

On one page we are being told we need to change our eating habits, i.e. give up meat and milk to save the planet, and on another, we celebrate the “drama, action and a bit of fire” at the street drags.

What were the emissions, I wonder, of these street drags, the Boxing Day Cemetery Circuit, the stockcars?

Oh, doesn’t matter, just get rid of a few more dairy cows.

I do not understand why James Shaw and his buddies are not jumping up and down about these emissions, cruise ships, Rio Tinto.

If New Zealand disappeared off the planet, it would not make the slightest difference to the climate, but where we could make a difference is by getting rid of this ghastly plastic (my newspaper comes wrapped in plastic every day).

We can grow wool and leather from hides; we can grow flax and hemp.

I know there are those who protest about our animals going to the works, but these animals have had a great life. Unlike some of our children, they have had all their needs taken care of – they just have that one bad day!

ANNE JONES

Whanganui

Recycling plan raises questions

Well folks, those who watched Fair Go on Monday night and saw the segment on recycling would be left in no doubt that a lot more questions need to be answered before Whanganui District Council starts its kerbside recycling programme.

I wonder how many of you thought that your very carefully sorted recycling was being recycled, only to discover a good percentage of it is going to landfill and costing councils a fortune in dump fees.

Don’t blame me, there was the truth on the TV screen for all to see. The only question remaining unanswered here is: what makes the Whanganui District Council think it’s any different from the other councils who have tried recycling and now find themselves worse off financially than they were?

I say, for goodness’ sake, revisit this plan before you saddle the ratepayers of Whanganui with more expense with an uneconomical plan.

GRAHAM HAWTREE

Whanganui