A quick online search confirmed that over the past decade there have been dead blue whales wash up in Rahotu, Tapuae Beach (near Okurukuru) and Waitotara as well as all along the North Island's West Coast. And, although there is a strange lack of information to be found, I believe that a Cuviers beaked whale washed up dead on South Beach in Whanganui around the same time as Mr Madgwick's "What whales?" letter appeared.
While I appreciate that everyone is entitled to an opinion, I find it incredibly sad that those of us working to protect the environment struggle to secure the funding necessary to prove what is out there, while those with the resources to determine the truth seem so determined to keep that truth hidden.
KATE PARIS
Patea
Regional funding
Congratulations, Mayor Hamish, for recently suggesting that it is time the regional council really did take on a regional funding role, as it is legislatively entitled to do, in terms of assisting with truly regional assets, be they sporting, cultural or heritage in concept, instead of remaining a mystifying, ill-understood and — many would say — irrelevant piece of bureaucracy.
Horizons need only look east across the ranges to see what Hawke's Bay Regional Council achieves in this regard, greatly benefiting its community.
And shame on our two local representatives on Horizons , Patrick and Cotton, who I understand voted against this sensible change of approach. Who cares if it's a velodrome, a race track, or a genuine heritage item, as long as they represent true regional benefit?
Time to broaden our horizons, not narrow them, please.
TERRY COXON
Whanganui
Velodrome poll
I applaud our Whanganui District Council for their decision to survey ratepayers about rubbish collection and recycling.
I suggest that, at the same time, they survey ratepayers about roofing the velodrome. A simple yes/no answer question will suffice.
JEAN MCDAVITT
Wanganui
Assisted dying
FG Rose, you speak of choice, but are you not being incredibly selfish when you know full well that legalising assisted suicide/euthanasia will in fact take away many people's choices.
As seen in Belgium and The Netherlands, voluntary euthanasia very soon becomes involuntary euthanasia.
As for your word choice of what to call it, sadly, sugar coating does not change reality. It is what it is. A person wants to die, they get someone else to do the killing, hence it is assisted suicide. I wonder though, why — if people are so desperate to die, and in most cases are perfectly able to kill themselves — you people wish to bring another person into it?
I have worked with the elderly, sick and dying for the past decade and see how easily people will be coerced into "choosing" premature death. There is much bullying, abuse and negligence already for NZ's elderly, so this will be child's play for family and carers who have had enough of someone. And have you considered the implications of this bill for the mentally ill? For example depressives and anorexics etc?
I wish people, and our Government, would put more funding and time into palliative care and mental health care, as these would alleviate much more suffering were they improved. In palliative care we truly assist people to die with dignity.
Caring, not killing.
MELINDA BOLTON
Castlecliff
