The bounty system has been considered in the past but, after having been trialled many times throughout New Zealand, it has been found to have no long-term success. If Mr Cook would like to discuss this programme further, he is welcome to get in touch with me via freephone 0508 800 800.
BILL MARTYN
Environmental Manager, Biodiversity and Regional Response
Horizons Regional Council
Gallery costs
I recently stumbled upon a pamphlet being distributed throughout the city that contains misleading information relating to the total combined cost of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment.
The pamphlet proposes halting "all further progress" on the WWTP and Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment until all viable alternatives have been investigated, claiming that: "total expenditure (existing and proposed) on the WWTP and Sarjeant is $76 million!"
While it is true that the cost of the approved WWTP is up to $42 million, the pamphlet implies that council will meet the full cost of the Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment. This is incorrect. Council has contributed $5 million to the redevelopment, and $10 million was raised from the private sector, which met the threshold required to reapply for central government-matched funding (the application is under review with the Government's Regional Culture and Heritage fund). The remaining cost will also be met through further private sector and external donations.
The pamphlet would have been more accurate if it had included a breakdown of the costs borne by the ratepayer, rather than lumping private sector donations and council contributions into a single sum.
JOSH CHANDULAL-MACKAY
Whanganui
�Josh Chandulal-Mackay is standing for the Whanganui District Council in the October elections.
Bob each way
Thank you for publishing the letter I wrote on August 8 which appeared in the Chronicle (August 20) concerning the spelling of Wanganui during TV One weather presentations.
Recent observations have discovered that TV One seems to go for the "bob-each-way" approach with the day's weather summary (around 6.25pm) and the forecast segment (around 6.55pm) having alternate spellings.
The order in which the two spellings appear seems to vary on alternate days. Can't say fairer than that!
I just thought this "hupdate" may interest people from both sides of the argument. I have refrained from contacting TV One as the risk of someone like Mike Hosking taking the mickey out of the city is too great, especially after the recent TV3 debacle.
D PARTNER
Eastown
Septic tank
To commit our debt-ridden town to another multimillion-dollar debt, just on the word of a bunch of consultants, must be bordering on criminal behaviour.
The industries have acted responsibly and offered to handle their own waste.
This allows us to just treat our own small amount (17 per cent of previous load) in our existing (gold plated) treatment system.
The small amount of town sewage only needs a septic tank type of treatment, unlike the massive (83 per cent) of toxic chemicals and untreated industrial waste that was dumped in the system originally.
There are many competent people looking for work who could reinstate this plant and get it processing our sewage within months for minimal outlay, using local contractors and personnel.
ROB BUTCHER
Retired industrial engineer
Aramoho
