Northern Advocate letters: May 16

One step too far

It is refreshing to find an editor who writes frequent editorials to stimulate discussion on local issues. Well done, Craig Cooper.

However, it seems Craig is hell bent on really pushing the idea of Northpower forming a trust to distribute profits rather than returning them to consumers in the form of a rebate. He is entitled to his view. But with this issue he seems to be going one step further by adding a response to anyone writing to the Advocate with an opposing view.

Why not let other readers do the responding? Adding his own responses is a slippery slope and could be seen as taking an unfair advantage of his position as editor.

In one such response to a letter I wrote, Craig suggests readers might like to look at the Rotorua, Taranaki and Southland trusts because "we do not have one of these trusts - we need one".

Has he never heard of the ASB Community Trust which donates millions and millions of dollars annually to Northland organisations? This trust is huge and there is no need for another, especially when it would be set up to steal our own money.

No one is suggesting council will directly control a Northpower Trust but they would have a vested interest. There would be a lot of behind the scenes influence, for example, to contribute to the Hundertwasser project thereby letting the council off the hook.

Some people have no idea how important the electricity rebate is to low income households.

Colin Edwards, Parua Bay

Editor's note: The ASB Community Trust does fantastic things for Northland, and without it we would be lost. But it is not a solely locally sourced, distributed and operated trust. My role as an editor includes encouraging healthy debate on local issues. If people want to make their mind up on the issue, then I believe it is worth taking a look at the trusts Colin mentions above - it might help you decide if you are for or against.

Noxious invader

Re: Noxious plants - namely Moth Plant

Beware land owners and occupiers this plant needs eradicating. It starts as an innocent looking two leaf seedling and grows up into an invasive, strangling vine producing upwards of 60-70 green pear shaped pods. When mature enough the pods split open allowing little white parachutes each with a 2mm-long seed to fly with the wind.

Each pear holds thousands of these parachutes; these come to rest and with rain or dew the seed drops from the chute and germinates.

Beware! Use gloves and safety glasses when handling them. (Abridged)

George Bond,Morningside, Whangarei

Slow slog a pain

So the trip from Warkworth to Puhoi will be faster but we have to wait until at least 2019 (another seven years) maybe 2026 before it happens. What about the rest of the trip from Warkworth to Whangarei, maybe on to Paihia, Kerikeri, or Kaitaia if you happen to live there? Obviously back to the same old one lane up and one lane down slow slog.

It is as simple as opening up the port of Marsden by putting a rail line in, fixing the rail to Auckland, thus taking hundreds of trucks and buses off the road and more passengers and freight moved via rail.

It would be a lot cheaper too and all cars could move faster as there would be less traffic on the road.

It is already a nightmare journey with nearly 20,000 vehicles on the road daily now.

Imagine what it will be like with 31,000 vehicles daily.

It does not bear thinking about. What a horrific thought.

Obviously Mr Phil Heatley and all other politicians do not use the road but choose to fly instead so they do not care about the people who travel this road constantly.

Marie Kaire,Ngararatunua Whangarei.

Blase approach

I want to urge Northland Regional Council to get its act together in respect of keeping our region safe from genetic engineering. It promised it would include a strongly precautionary policy in respect of GE field trials in its new ten year plan - well where is it? What is going on when the administration of a public body like this-- can so callously ignore the wishes of the people who pay the wages, let alone have such a blase approach to what is a very real threat?

G Thompson, Whangarei