Illness also can strike at any time, limiting and restricting one's resources. How do you think a person with a good spirit and positive attitude towards life feels when having to cope with illness and trauma coupled with the lack of empathy of others?
Having to survive on a benefit for many is soul-destroying. Just because some people have the opportunity to become a success story does not mean doors will open for everyone.
No matter what your circumstances, if you know you are doing your best, you will always be a better person than those who dare to judge you.Jeni SargentNapierNZ land not for saleNew Zealand land is not, nor ever will be, sold to foreigners.
The Chinese have for a long while had their eyes on our precious land. With their past history they could not be trusted. We do not have millions of acres, but are a small, fragile country. No politician has any right to offer our small, beautiful, precious land to any foreigner under any circumstances at all. I know many New Zealand people are behind me on this issue and the Government should be also.
S. Bathgate-Hunt, Havelock North
Punishment 'pathetic'
Today's fines are pathetic.
I have been reading the article in HB Today (August 6) about Marewa's Four Square owner C.J. Fu and what he thinks about the fine the 47-year-old woman got who stole from his shop. He's dead right!
She will do the community hours, pay off the fine and carry on with her usual practice, lifting merchandise from shops. The woman should have been locked up, not for three or six months, but a year at the least. And whilst in prison have someone of authority drum into her what a bad habit stealing is.
The whole fines system in New Zealand today is just a load of crap. Ongoing offenders will still keep on offending, as all they get is a few hours' community work, pay off a miserable fine, which quite a few don't do, or prison, where they don't serve the full term because they have behaved themselves. Fines have definitely got to be looked at to make it hurt for offenders.Bruce TaitWairoa
Nats face hard sellIn reply to the various decriers of my recent letter on the advantages for New Zealand inherent in the sale of state assets, I simply point out that my comments were based on the factual reporting of two very august and expert international agencies, namely the OECD and the IMF.
On the other hand, the several responses you have so far printed seem to be short on fact and long on opinion, coincidental, perhaps, with the suggestion in my original letter that there will always be "knee-jerk, left-wing objection to the sale of anything under government control".
However, the mere fact that the sale of said assets engenders such widespread criticism points clearly to the challenge facing the Government in selling the idea to the average Kiwi voter.
It also complements the strategic thinking of the Labour Party in trying to make the November election a single-issue election, for or against this proposal.
A clear case of "caveat venditor" to which Mr Key must suitably respond or I am afraid he will risk National's promised singular majority, and that would be a great pity.
John Denton, Eskdale
EIT students shine
The Marine Parade projects are a brilliant example of how learning at EIT is very applied and practical.
Graduates from EIT hit the ground running with their knowledge and expertise. It's great to see that our students have helped with the conversations needed about the development for the parade. Their work is very inspiring.
If people are interested, check out our website: www.eit.ac.nz
Brenda Chapman, Marketing director, EIT
