Your views: Readers' letters

Charge points

If I understand Ross Fallen's view (Wanganui Chronicle, November 4) he expects Wanganui Council to provide charging points for electric cars.

As the distances these cars can travel on one charge range from 50 to 200-plus miles (Oct 2017, www.which.co.uk) there is no need for the council to provide charging stations, as buyers of electric cars, if they choose wisely and travel within these parameters, can charge at home or work.

To travel greater distances, they must plan ahead, as did buyers of petrol cars when they were first introduced and petrol stations were few.

The provision of recharging stations is a commercial business activity. Councils do not provide petrol stations, so why provide recharging stations?

VERNON BALLANCE
Westmere

TPP2: Why?

There is a growing sense of dismay regarding the new Government's attendance at the TPP talks this month.

The promise of legislation to stop foreigners buying our houses is doing little to assuage concerns. After all, didn't the coalition partners campaign vigorously against the Trans-Pacific Partnership during National's negotiations?

There is a curious clue as to what motivates this change of policy. It is the title given to David Parker, now Minister of Trade and Export Growth - yes, "growth" - a portfolio surely at odds with his other responsibility, the environment.

As Australian economist Peter Self wrote in Rolling Back the Market, growth in the mercantile trade is a neo-liberal doctrine which has dominated national policies mainly since WWII. It makes the prime objective of a government to equip the nation "to compete effectively in the global market".

He also points out how the movement of goods by air or sea "intensifies environmental impacts" as more fuel is consumed, not just by container ships and planes but as business entrepreneurs fly back and forth to endless meetings.

Why the perceived urgency to export our agricultural produce to high-wage countries already satiated with foodstuffs?

Food is supposed to be for human nourishment, yet millions are hungry because of food being regarded as a commercial commodity to be traded for the more desirable currencies.

Poorer nations need food security - their own - and not to be forced to rely on cheap imports, let alone expensive loans from the rich.

Now to hope these remarks focus on another kind of food: food for thought.

HEATHER MARION SMITH
Gisborne

Winston's joke

Firstly, let me congratulate our new prime minister. She will be fantastic.

However, I need to comment on Winston Peters. He has won his last battle. No one noticed the joke he made of it, and, more importantly, he got away with his joke without the media noticing.

Nearly two weeks spent in this joke without our media noticing the joke. It is a joke.
ROSS MITCHELL-ANYON
Whanganui

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