Letters To Editor: Westshore why won't they listen

Westshore  - why won't they listen

In the past few years, Mr Larry Dallimore of Westshore, has written to the editor regularly regarding the state of Westshore Beach.

Would someone please tell me why no one is listening?

Mr Dallimore has lived at Westshore for many years and has done in-depth reports as to the state of the beach and the changes that are happening to this once great asset to Napier.

His background is as good as any of the out-of-town engineers we have paid hundreds of thousands of ratepayer dollars to.

Why is it that our mayor and councillors are taking no notice and sticking their heads in the sand - (it won't be from Westshore)?

What a good idea to bring shingle from Napier beach by truck to Westshore. Yeah, right.

How is this process helping the erosion problem? Could our council please respond?

Four million dollars has been expended so far and what have we got? A beach to be ashamed of.

If it wasn't so sad, it would be a joke.

I cannot believe that a responsible mayor and council cannot sit down and listen to someone who has done their homework on this growing problem, as Mr Dallimore has.

I also cannot believe the apathy of Westshore residents. If it was my back yard, I would be a tad miffed at the council's inaction and their dismissive attitude towards Mr Dallimore who, after all, is trying to look after their interests.

I urge people to go and see for themselves what a sad scene Westshore has become.

In essence, one storm at high tide and the new walkway will become a canoe-way.

Time for some action. Give the man a decent hearing, not a half hour slot and hope he goes away.

I know it will take a great deal of money to rectify the beach. However, look how funds have been found for the proposed new museum.

I would go to the museum once a year but to the beach once a week.

While I'm on my soapbox, surely I'm not the only one who thinks it's time for a bulldozer for Marineland. What an expensive eyesore for our Parade.

I have an idea: Push it over, load it on to trucks and drop it at Westshore and cover it with shingle, where it will slowly move to Bay View. Sound thinking?

Get it down and get over it, and move on in the name of progress.

TERRY EXETER Greenmeadows

If it happened here

When the Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef and leaking oil began to affect sea birds, temporary premises were set up and volunteers flocked in to do their very best for the birds.

If such a catastrophic event occurred locally, I am confident that the same response would be made here.

We do not need to keep Marineland just in case of a Rena in our Bay.

ISABEL MORGAN Napier

Water meters

Recently, Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule wrote in your Letters to the Editor column, assuring residents that the installation of 500 water meters at random locations throughout Hastings was only being carried out to gain accurate data on water usage and other factors such as loss of water from the network.

Some Hastings residents have questioned this move and suggested this move is the beginning of universal water metering and charging for water supply in Hastings, but Mr Yule says this couldn't be further from the truth.

What I want to know is, did our Hastings District councillors all vote to support this move, or did the move come from some other mysterious authority?

I have been requested by some local ratepayers to question what Mr Yule has stated regarding this water meter installation, and like them I think there is more to be told to satisfy us overburdened ratepayers.

BRIAN STEELE Hastings

Vanishing landlines

I am wondering how representative phone surveys and especially political polls are nowadays?

In these times of economic downturn, many people have quit having landlines and just use cellphones.

The white pages of the phone directory seem to be getting thinner and thinner.

GERRY WELLS, Napier