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Fully informed
On the front page of the Chronicle of May 22 was a report on Whanganui District Council's debate on the concept of a living wage for council employees.
Information about the living wage concept, for the curious, may be found at living wage.org.nz
Good on councillors Joblin, Baker-Hogan, Chandulal-Mackay, Anderson, Duncan, and mayor McDouall for voting to request a report on the impact of the living wage for employees - also to the Chronicle for its coverage of the issue.
I'm surprised any councillor voted against gaining more information. I assumed councillors were in the business of fully understanding issues, and gaining as much information as practical, before making decisions.
A report might have discovered that if council employees on salaries over $100k were to forgo a small percentage of their salary, council might be able to pay a living wage to those on the minimum.
Why would any councillor oppose the possible discovery of possibilities that might not cost ratepayers a dollar?
DAVE CAMERON
Whanganui
Wage workers
Thank God (or whatever deity or rock you worship) that the council declined to increase pay for workers to the living wage, as reported in the Chronicle (May 22).
Drove through the Rutland St/St Hill St intersection and was dazzled by the hi-vis jackets on display - there should have been a warning sign 50 metres away as the reflected light was dangerous.
Twelve "workers" on site, but very little seemed to be happening apart from one guy up a ladder, two with hands in pockets and one vacating the interior of his right nostril.
Most annoying is most of these "workers" are probably getting much more than the living wage anyway.
What a benevolent society we live in.
D PARTNER
Whanganui
Stressful loss
Last Thursday I lost my distinctive wallet in or near the Trafalgar Square car park.
I am a pensioner and it contained cash and some gift vouchers, being birthday presents from my family. Also, more importantly, my driver's licence and numerous cards.
I hope the money and vouchers will be used by the "finder" to benefit their children or themselves and not wasted. Maybe their need is greater than mine as it has not been returned even though my name and address were included.
Thanks to the staff at both ANZ and AA for assisting me to cancel my cards and issue new ones promptly.
There are many more good, honest people going about their daily lives and I also know there are many in dire need, but I suggest the person tempted to be dishonest give a moment's thought to the stressful consequences of their decision.
G M
Whanganui
No to socialism
With the escalating state house demand, surely Labour must have not put much thought into the scheme back in 1935.
Along with their DPB and unemployment benefits (apple pickers - "Oh my sore back and shoulders"- quit four hours into the season) they have taken away self-responsibility.
Carmel Sepuloni recently on The Nation said 17,000 DPB recipients won't name the fathers of their children. I fear we're headed to Jacinda Ardern and the Mongrel Hordes (similar to Genghis Khan and the Mongol Hordes).
We should have learnt from the USSR that socialism doesn't work.
BOB HARRIS
Whanganui
Tolerance please
Carol Webb tells it how she sees it. Fair enough.
But her letter titled "Bigotry here" (May 16) makes a call that all letter writers "declare their elected local government, political party and church positions where relevant".
The only problem is in your letter - positively dripping as it is with "relevance" - you didn't declare your own affiliations. Doubtless an oversight.
Carol Webb facetiously suggested council-organised medieval entertainment in Majestic Square by the regular burnings of atheists. Ripping good fun to be sure, but rather bigoted I think.
I propose regular burnings of atheists AND Christians - let's be even-handed. Don't bother burning Satanists, though, they play with fire all the time.
We have a very good, cohesive district council - even "the four horsemen of the Apocalypse" have settled in well.
Political party?
Absolutely a swinging voter, although my daddy voted Labour. I just didn't tell him when I voted for someone else.
And church? I believe in God. I don't believe in sectarianism - incidentally, nor does the Bible (which I have read widely). The "fire and brimstone" bits that declare one is totally sinful even over one teeny-weeny transgression, are balanced in the Bible by exhortations to be tolerant of differences in religious beliefs.
Every word in the Bible is true, I'm hoping - especially the bits about tolerance.
STAN HOOD
Aramoho
False claims
Jay Kuten (May 8) shamefully accuses Simon O'Connor MP, Maggie Barry MP and myself of having a "sham concern for the elderly".
This statement is untrue, defamatory and unworthy of the writer.
According to the Collins dictionary, the definition of sham is fraud, pretence, forgery and imposter. What is the evidence Dr Kuten has that the above have a fraudulent concern for the elderly?
Maggie Barry has been patron of Alzheimer's Wellington, Hospice New Zealand and the Mary Potter Hospice.
As the previous Minister for Senior Citizens, she was well aware of the concerns of the elderly over elder abuse which will become more prevalent if the contentious End of Life Choice bill of David Seymour is passed.
Simon O'Connor was the chairman of the health select Ccmmittee which, for two years, considered the petition on euthanasia from Maryan Street. His committee considered more than 21,000 written submissions and heard nearly 1000 oral submissions.
Nearly 80 per cent of the submissions opposed doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Every submission from disability groups and from Aged Concern was opposed to euthanasia, fearing abuse, bullying and exploitation.
There is nobody in New Zealand better informed about the fears of the aged, disabled and seriously ill to the potential threat to their lives that this contentious bill poses than Simon O'Connor and Maggie Barry who are passionate about defending the lives of our vulnerable.
In the current ageist climate, legalising euthanasia would be downright dangerous for the elderly.
The Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero says David Seymour's bill undermines years of work to change perceptions of disabled people and posed significant risks to them.
Jay Kuten claims Simon O'Connor was a priest. He was not a priest he was a seminarian who completed his studies for the priesthood but did not seek ordination.
Euthanasia is not a religious issue, it is a human rights issue. The writer is seeking to silence those who believe in God and His fifth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" which is a command for all mankind, both atheist and religious.
KEN ORR
Spokesman, Right to Life
Flood solution
I have written before supporting both the port development and reducing flood risk by straightening the river and providing another outlet alongside Landguard Bluff.
I also have identified this as an opportunity for the district and regional councils to work together to develop an effective solution and stop wasting ratepayer funds on flood remediation that can never fully protect against floods.
It will be expensive, but it will provide the basis for the port to be economically viable, as well as reducing the risk of expensive flood damage.
A check of the Port Revitalisation part of the district council website makes no mention that this proposal has been considered.
A report on dredging, however, does indicate that considerable maintenance dredging will be required. This will be expensive to the point that any commercial viability of the port will vanish, making the port a millstone around the neck of any economic development in Whanganui.
An additional comment came my way about the tsunami protection provided by the south spit. This gave me pause, however, as a risk manager, I considered the almost certain likelihood of flooding, versus the remote possibility of a tsunami and remain convinced that straightening of the river offers the most sensible, and effective solution.
MURRAY SHAW
Bastia Hill
Fire crews were called to Tremaine Ave at 4am to tackle the blaze.