Letters: Inadequate penalties for cruelty

The most disturbing aspect of the abhorrently cruel act of stuffing 40 live chickens (13 of which died of suffocation) into the boot of a car and keeping them incarcerated for hours is the view of the perpetrators that it didn't matter as they were "just chickens".
The lack of empathy and remorse is chilling. Was this the first time these people had meted out similar cruelty on animals or birds? Probably not. Will it be the last time? I doubt it. Why? Because the penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty are grossly inadequate.
Kindergartens and schools often keep animals or birds on site and teach children, many of whom come from homes where ill treatment of animals is the norm, that all creatures need to be respected, cared for properly and treated kindly. This positive teaching can last a lifetime. Very few children are naturally cruel but they copy what they see and hear.
Overseas, people-smugglers who have crammed desperate immigrants into the back of trucks have, quite rightly, been imprisoned for life when their illegal human cargo has been found to have perished in transit. In contrast, people who stuff live sheep or chickens into hell holes of car boots or abandon live calves to meet slow and horrific deaths only get a slap over the wrist with a wet bus ticket.
The only deterrent is to make the punishment fit the crime. I hope that the SPCA will bring the full force of the law upon these people so that, firstly, they will get the message that what they have done is totally unacceptable and, secondly, that others thinking of doing something similar will decide it is not worth the risk.
Jessica Maxwell, Havelock North
Vengeful attitude
A reply to Garth McVicar's letter headed "Trap, neuter, return".
In my opinion, it is this sort of revengeful, tit-for-tat attitude which lies at the heart of some of the world's greatest problems. Take, as only one example of many, Israel and Palestine, for decades appearing to try to outdo one another in acts of violence, and still achieving no solution. By contrast, in Northern Ireland, the majority of people must have worked at mutual understanding, forgiveness and healing, to largely overcome "the Troubles" of many years.
I am in no way suggesting that proper justice in the courts of law should be avoided, or that victims be ignored, but we may all do well to remember the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi: "An eye for an eye will only serve to make the whole world blind."
Penelope Foster, Greenmeadows
Don't be mayor
If Laurence Yule is sincerely promoting/pushing local body amalgamation for the benefit of our region, he would go a long way to convincing me of his altruistic intentions by undertaking not to seek the mayoralty if amalgamation were to go ahead. I suspect this might prove too hard for him.
Sid McCann, Pirimai
Not worth saving
There has been much talk and emphasis on the need to save. Government ministers, television/radio commentators and the press, are all urging us to save more.
In defence of his intentions of selling off our state-owned assets, John Key is adamant that it is going to be a good thing for "Kiwi mums and dads".
It is true that most of us would relish the opportunity to buy some of the anticipated lucrative shares when they become available, but we must first have the disposable income with which to make such a purchase, particularly when capital is losing its value far too rapidly.
It would appear that successive governments have been indifferent or blinkered - with little or no vision - as to how to increase the savings of those on the bottom rungs of the wealth creation ladder.
Our young first home buyers trying to save for a deposit as well as the elderly, who are facing depletion not only of their capital, but in their rate of returns as they try making their capital stretch out in line with their life span. In both instances, each are fighting a losing battle because of our parsimonious approach to investments and savings.
South Africa and some other countries have exemptions of around $6000 of earned interest before the Inland Revenue becomes involved in taxing it, instead of the pitiful, niggardly $200 allowed in this country.
An investor with $100,000 in the bank today, will lose between 20 to 25 per cent of the capital over the next 10 years and with the cost of living accelerating, a cart of groceries costing $200 today will balloon out to at least $280 in 10 years' time. This now means that placing your money into a bank - apart from the security aspect - is simply not worth the effort.
This is a serious issue that is not going to go away and will be further exacerbated if governments continue to sit on their hands or worse fiddle around with schemes already in place and destroying investors' confidence. I refer of course to the KiwiSaver.
A serious review of the way this country deals with getting the young started on a meaningful savings programme and also an umbrella scheme protecting vulnerable elderly investors is well overdue.
Ken R Taylor, Frimley Park