Letters: Business success, gangs, China, solar power, planting treesand Scott Watson

A former home of Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in the world according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Photo / Supplied, File

Personal worth
Paul Jarvis (NZ Herald, June 3) rightly points out that business owners have taken risks in building their businesses. By definition, that means that they may have failed.
Most business ventures fail (but perhaps not enough). Many people continue to try, and continue to fail, and many will until the day they die.
But we don't hear about them.
We hear about the ones who, by metaphorically continuing to buy the lottery ticket, eventually win the draw.
And then we hear from those who tell us it's all down to "hard work".
Luck doesn't enter into it; ingenuity never gets a mention. Failure is no longer a risk they take, it's something to blame the Government for.
Anyone who isn't financially successful is therefore lazy and needs to work harder. And that's the myth that gets perpetuated.
A person's financial wealth becomes a measure of their value as a person, and not merely a measure of how much other people valued their work.
Morgan L. Owens, Manurewa.

Close to home
One thing the drive-by-shootings are showing us is that people connected to gangs are in just about every suburb. Residents should feel safe in their homes, not scared that a house in their street may be the next target.
Even if a truce between the gangs involved in the current violence could be negotiated, it doesn't solve the underlying causes: turf wars, criminal activity, easy access to guns, and the readiness to use them.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.

Chinese overtures
Pacific nations, if you think China will have your true interests at heart, think again, look into history, it's all there.
They will take your resources and change your culture, both of which are precious.
Then, when you realise it's too late it will be just that... too late.
Also, next time there's a cyclone or natural disaster and aid is required, who will come to help? Remember how much New Zealand has stood by you all in the past.
For goodness sake take a long-term view.
Robert L Bicker, Gulf Harbour.

Prodigal sun
Juliet Leigh states (NZ Herald, June 3) that "logically, every new build should have mandatory solar power installed". She then asks why is it not happening.
A better question might be: Even without any coercion, why are people not rushing to put solar panels on every appropriate roof they might have?'
The answer to that is, that while the power companies happily charge us about 24 cents for every kilowatt-hour they sell us, they have agreed together to pay only a measly eight cents for every kilowatt-hour that people with solar panels sell them.
They then sell it to the next person up the street wanting it, for full price.
Why the government doesn't come down like a ton of bricks on these power companies beats me.
Lindsey Roke Pakuranga Heights.

Limb report
Mayor Phil Goff wants to tax the Auckland ratepayers $13.3 million to create an urban forest. However, due to the Auckland Council housing policy of replacing one house with five dwellings, a forest of mature trees has been cut down by developers.
In addition, the Tūpuna Maunga Authority has cut down many mature trees and wants to cut down more (at ratepayers' expense).
Kauri trees were planted alongside Mt Smart Rd (an unsuitable environment) and most have since died; if they had grown, how would they have been managed?
Why is there an obsession with growing native trees when many exotics are more useful for the fruit, nuts and timber they provide?
Plant trees yes, but preserve the ones we have.
Arthur Moore, Pakuranga.

Waste band
I would like to add my voice to the call by Jocelyn Magness of Milford (NZ Herald, June 3) for the food waste collection to be extended to the rest of the city.
We have had food waste collection bins here for several years.
Our experience is that we only put out our 80-litre wheelie bin about every five weeks.
Of course, that is with proper use of the recycle bin.
Mike Crosby, Papakura.

Rubbish policy
Jocelyn Magness (NZ Herald, June 3) says that in her Milford street one in five residents use the weekly rubbish collection.
Since the pay-as-you-throw rubbish system was introduced 30 years ago North Shore residents have helped reduce the amount of rubbish to landfill.
The targeted rate of $150 pa paid by most of the city for a "free" weekly 120-litre bin collection does the exact opposite
Jan O'Connor, Hauraki.

Splitting hairs
Mark Young (NZ Herald, June 3) writes that hairs found on Watson's sloop were highly likely to be the victim's, and therefore evidence of Watson's guilt.
But this is not so. The DNA scientist had previously searched the forensic bags for the victim's hair but had found none. Some weeks later the scientist opened a forensic bag containing hairs from the victim's bedroom and examined them. Then she looked through the bags from the sloop again, and discovered hairs that could have been the victim's.
Hairs from the bedroom could have accidentally remained on the examination table. There are several other equally innocent possible explanations that are set out in Keith Hunter's Trial by Trickery.
Stuart Macfarlane, Remuera

Missed ketch
Peter Whitmore's article (NZ Herald, June 1) hit the nail on the head. In particular, the lack of investigation or searching for the reported "untidy ketch" raises most serious doubts.
Boaties do not mistake a sloop (single mast) for a ketch (two masts) and are more likely to take note of a ketch as there are few in New Zealand. There was also a news report a few days into January of a ketch having been sighted well off our Northern shores, but again no follow-up.
We definitely need a specialist body, staffed by people with analytical minds, to investigate concerning court verdicts.
Gordon Sanders, Cockle Bay.

Guilt edged
Referring to the Scott Watson case, a recent correspondent (NZ Herald, June 3) claims "failure to deny" as a key indicator of guilt. Watson never took the stand.
In law, it is up to the prosecution to prove guilt. According to countless media statements "Watson has always denied ever meeting the pair, let alone killing them" and has sought to overturn his convictions numerous times. When he first heard the verdict, he faced the jury and said: "You are wrong."
The correspondent also quotes an article (NZ Herald, June 1) claiming forensic evidence of two hairs was "powerful evidence of Watson's guilt", whereas the article strongly criticises the forensic process. This is now part of the Appeal Court challenge.
A NZ Herald article (March 1) states: "In 2020, then Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy referred Watson's case back to the Court of Appeal after reports from a forensic scientist cast doubt on the reliability of the hair evidence..."
And "…on the standards relating to the collection, handling, and forensic examination of the hairs, the reliability of the results obtained from testing and the fairness and accuracy of the evidence given at trial about the DNA testing and the results obtained from it."
John Clark, Glen Eden.

Lie of the land
Does anyone else hate lying? I dislike lying even more than racism, sexism, hate speech, etc. Politicians of all persuasions have always lied occasionally but Trump and Johnson have changed the game and lie all the time.
It used to be a convention in the UK and NZ that lying to the House was grounds for resignation – not anymore, now it is ignored. The awful examples of Trump and Johnson have encouraged the growth and acceptability of lying throughout society, particularly amongst far-right and anti-vax activists. They constantly peddle lies with no consequences.
The latest event that stimulated this rant was the announcement by TVNZ that one of their Breakfast hosts had left the show because of "family" or "personal" reasons. This was a lie. I do not care very much about the incompetence and lack of judgment in appointing this person in the first place, but I really hate being lied to. In my opinion, the people in TVNZ who promulgated these lies should be asked to resign.
Mike O'Sullivan, Parnell.

Short & sweet

On graffiti
Can the jokers selling spray paint to the taggers in our city find something else to sell, please? And if the police can't get the guns, can they round up the taggers, please? Thanks in advance. Hugh J Chapman, Hingaia.

On competence
Ian Doube asks (NZH, June 3) why there so many unqualified, unsuitable and underprepared senior Cabinet Ministers. Easy. The people selecting them are equally unqualified. Garry Wycherley, Awakino.

On crime
It's time we grow up and start treating crime as a community problem that we all contribute to. It's time to stop blaming crime on bad eggs and a lack of big sticks. T Barlow, Hillcrest.

On premises
"I reject the premise of that question" actually means, "I have no idea what you are talking about, and if I did, I would not know the answer, anyway". Derek Paterson, Sunnyhills.

On sweetness
Noting many of the recent contributions to the editorial and letters page, "Short and sweet", maybe it needs a name change to "Short and sour"? Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.

On Watson
Some cases have been atoned for; not Scott Watson's. Anne Wilks, Devonport.

The Premium Debate

Criticism of PM's US trip

Of course, it's tall poppy syndrome. Ardern's critics cannot stand that John Key had to pay $10k for a cringe 30-second segment on David Letterman that only embarrassed the country while Jacinda Ardern is greeted with wild support everywhere she goes. Promoting NZ products on Colbert's show did more for Kiwi exports than anything any business could ever pay for and they will tell you they are truly grateful. And to top it all off, glowing praise from the President of the United States, where NZ is finally recognised for contributing to the international community with our action on gun violence and extremist online content. Her critics can't stand it, but Jacinda Ardern is an international superstar and an exceptional leader. Steve E.

She may be well relaxed when meeting people from the Western world, but I observed when she went to China four years ago she was very nervous and unsure how to communicate with people there. The real test for her is not to appeal to people of the same value and language background, but how to manage the fine balance between promoting trade with China for New Zealand and keeping the Western values. After having messed things up domestically, Ardern is one step closer to upsetting the biggest trade partner of New Zealand. Peilin Y.

The sole purpose of Ardern's trip was to build her brand on the international stage. She has found a whole new bunch of bewildered and bedazzled fans and is now milking them for her own benefit. Vaughan M.

I hope it only takes the US president thinking our PM is a nice person to get the export barriers to the US loosened a little. Katrina H.

Tall poppy syndrome usually occurs against someone who is successful. I don't think any real success came from Jacinda's visit to the US. Likewise, the success of our Covid vaccination and its percentage now appears to be in doubt. Unsuccessful waste of public money and criticism of same is not tall poppy syndrome. Kevin B.