Letters to the editor: 'A sad day for our grandchildren'

One reader asks why the need to slaughter animals because of the Mycoplasma bovis disease. Photo / File

Sad day for our grandchildren

What a backwards step for this city, No museum!

With a region rich in history and modern innovation, where are our grandchildren going to go to learn?

There was someone who once said "you can predict the future by reading history" or words to that effect. I predict a "desert of learning" for our future generations.

So where to now, perhaps our local iwi will have the fortitude to build something for us all to enjoy.

Sorry, Tauranga you may have the population to call yourself a "city" but culturally you can not.

In the meantime I suggest grandparents take their grandchildren over the hill to Hamilton to explore a real museum.

Don Hoult
Tauranga

A lot of questions but no answers

Can someone please explain to me why we need to slaughter 126,000 cattle when the Mycoplasma bovis illness does not prevent the beast's meat or milk being fit for human consumption?

Providing the animal is not in pain I see no reason to carry out this draconian "remedy".

The result will be the elevation of the cost of replacement, total disruption to the industry.

We hear that there is only one country known for its primary production that is not affected by the disease and I am unsure how much Norway contributes to the world's meat and milk total.

As a result of this wholesale slaughter, what will happen to the retail cost of beef to the consumer?

So why the hurry to take the beasts to slaughter and try to eradicate the decease?

Or could it be, and perish the thought that some Kiwi egos want to be the all-conquering heroes?

But there again what is the use? All the other countries in the world are living and working with Mycoplasma bovis.

A.D. Kirby
Papamoa

What education needs:

With education issues finally being to the forefront of the sights of our coalition Government, I suggest that teaching changes include:

Simple mental arithmetic (additions; subtractions; percentage calculation) be available to all our population; budgeting skills - so that lifestyles can be planned and paid for. Also, communication skills - to enable people to take and give understandable instructions in all sectors of life; living skills - to enable students, no matter what standard their family backgrounds may have been, to know better how to personally survive and provide; requiring individuals intending to be a "teacher" to have first spent time involved outside of the education system after finishing schooling, by having a minimum pre-requisite period (say five years) required of personal exposure in real working life and leisure before proceeding with teacher training.

This would create worldly-wise, experienced teachers to provide formal skills training more practically and relevant to all the students they then teach.

Replacement of NCEA and other educational achievements should ensure all students are appropriately provided with life-relevant skills, which is what 21st century communities really need!

Alan Trotter
Tauranga