Are speed humps really traffic-calming measures, asks a reader.
Letter of the week
Ian Dally’s letter (NZ Herald, December 14) questions the ideology of speed humps and their effects on emergency vehicles. Auckland Transport has a clear code of practice for the design and application of “traffic-calming devices” that includes emergency vehicles in a long list of negatively impacted services to be considered by designers.
It also defines the maximum allowed heights and slopes of speed humps in various traffic situations, stating these are maximum limits and that each device should be appropriately designed for the application.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown called out non-compliant speed humps in Grey Lynn (”Mayor blasts Auckland Transport for pedestrian crossing ‘stuff-up’”, NZ Herald, May 6) and the bone-rattling lumps in Glen Eden are both over height and excessively steep. Recent cosmetic work to grind off the damage marks where vehicles had grounded is hiding the problem not solving it.
Our questions should be “why do so many humps exceed the safe limits?”, followed by “are these changes making the roads safer or less safe”?, and “what mandate does AT have to waste ratepayers’ money this way”?
Maybe also name and shame whoever chose the euphemism “traffic-calming measures” for things that do the opposite: they cause congestion, frustration, vehicle damage and wasted fuel.
Alan McArdle, Glen Eden
Priorities in question
The decision on the Cook Strait ferries is yet another example of not only this government, but past governments of both colours lacking long-term thinking. Yes, projects do need to be economically viable, but maybe the measures need to include not just the dollars, but environmental and reputational value that will pay dividends for many years. In the case of the current government, its priorities are really called into question with this decision, when as a priority it has proposed backdated tax breaks for landlords that are estimated to cost $2 billion-$3 billion per annum in tax revenue lost. Surely the priority should be infrastructure funding, not tax breaks for housing that already exists and does nothing to address the infrastructure deficit.
Jeremy King, Taupō
What about maintenance?
A year ago, seeing pictures of the KiwiRail ferries, I thought what an embarrassment — they look like wrecks with rust stains all over them. Breakdowns have followed.
Seems the management structure and commitment to take pride in a vessel and take proper maintenance steps are not aligned. The structure and commitment to maintenance is the real issue. Machinery, including ships, can last forever if they are properly maintained unless their hulls rust out. Failure is purely a management convenience. Look at some of the warships that have served in three or four conflicts. Saying these ships are stuffed after 25 years — and particularly after one of them was lengthened and extensively upgraded — is spin. Why did they spend so much money on upgrading if their life was near an end?
And the “super” ferry plan was unbelievable. Two mega-ferries? Take one out for maintenance and what happens? Strategic thinking here is a joke.
Trevor Burgess, Snells Beach
Modern infrastructure needed
New Zealand’s productivity rate is not that great. GDP per hour worked in 2019 was US$48.30 ($77.90). I don’t expect it to keep up with Ireland and Norway, which are more than double that, but we are akin to Turkey on this score. Australia, to which we generally look for comparison, was US$65.
There has been talk in political circles to up the productivity rate because that generally leads to prosperity.
So it was with some surprise to read a comment attributed to Nicola Willis regarding the scrapping of the proposed ferries, saying she was confident smaller ferries could handle freight using the example of removing freight from trains, putting it on ferries and then transferring it back on trains once the strait has been crossed.
In terms of productivity, this would be a retrograde step. Slow and costly. Double handing, triple handling is just a cheap-now-but-expensive-long-term option. Previous governments constructed the Lyttelton tunnel instead of unloading onto pack horses. Ponies got there, but it’s not efficient. Modern infrastructure is needed to move that productivity level, not more No 8 wire.
Carol Sutherland, Coromandel
Treaty translation
In the article “Te Papa Treaty of Waitangi protest: It’s a mistake to ignore ‘painful’ parts of history, museums boss says” (NZ Herald, December 13), Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith said “both translations are in the Treaty of Waitangi acts, they are in legislation, the English language one and Te Tiriti as well”.
Here the minister refers to both texts, the English-language one and the one in te reo, as translations. This is an unfortunate mistake because it further adds to the confusion in the present debate on Treaty issues.
There is only one translation, namely the Māori language text, translated from the English original. Governor William Hobson, together with Resident James Busby, drafted the text of the Treaty, and missionary Henry Williams together with his 18-year-old son translated it. To ensure the Māori chiefs would sign the document presented to them, the meanings of several important issues were changed, with the result there are now two quite different treaties.
The translation has always been at the forefront of the Māori striving for justice, while the English text faded from the consciousness of the British once they had firmly established their authority over the country. It is in fact the translation that has guaranteed the survival of the Treaty.
Dr Sabine Fenton MNZM, former director of the Centre for Translation Studies, University of Auckland
Lonely cone
I hope your readers are able to help me discover where to enrol to gain a degree in “Cone Distribution and Management”. It seems to be sadly lacking in my neck of the woods.
I realise most students will be chasing their masters in “Placement and Disruption” and I can see the benefits that would entice them — driving big trucks and disrupting the public at every turn. For me, the satisfaction would come in restoring lone cones to their whānau because to see them sitting miles from anywhere with no sustenance or support is heartbreaking, lying forgotten on the sides of roads. We even have one holding lone vigil over a leaking pipe in the street that has done nothing to fix the leak. It has been there for months. I think we are expecting too much from these lone cones.
Is there such a degree?
Shelley Macrae, Manakau
A quick word
Does the Government’s stance on the Cook Strait ferry mean Cook Strait is no longer a highway of significance, that the North and South islands are to become separate countries, that enhancing the movement of freight and services around the country to support business is no longer on the government agenda? Or what, exactly, does it mean?
Caroline Miller, Birkenhead
For those complaining about this government’s policy on smoking, I say stick it to the man. Just quit. Or don’t take it up! That will deprive them of the money they want for silly projects.
Don Hollander, Wellington
Watching TV1 each night, it is clearly still on the path of having as much te reo spoken as possible, to the point where the introductions of some news clips are not understandable. Given the taxpayer funds TVNZ, I wonder whether the new coalition’s objective of having English first/te reo second will also filter through to this media.
John Roberts, Remuera
In light of several highly questionable decisions made recently by the Auckland War Memorial Museum, it might pay to brace ourselves that this institution could soon be forced to change its name. After all, remembering and honouring those who have fallen defending our freedoms might now be viewed unfavourably as warmongering by some of their staff and the wider public, and then the museum could face a backlash of cancel culture from a minuscule minority.
Lisa Smith, Grey Lynn
To back up Ian Doube’s point (NZ Herald, December 14), questions in the House should be in English only. It would be impossible for an interpreter to do an adequate job unless there are adequate pauses made by the te reo speaker during delivery. The speaker must also be hearing the interpretation to know when to start speaking again.
Chas Bennett, Beach Haven
To the many complaints about raised crossings and speed humps, I would like to add two more. Try driving over one with a bad back or a sleeping baby in a seat.
Anne Martin, Helensville
In line with the new government’s cost-cutting, it is understood it will replace its fleet of ministerial cars with Toyota Corollas.
Reg Dempster, Albany
The Interislander ferries will stagger on, placing our tourist and freight services at increased risk. KiwiRail may decide to exit Cook Strait, bringing the “railbridge” to an end. Ah, but we will have tax cuts.
Gavin Kay, Remuera
Come on Paul Lewis (”Razor’s ABs may have reddish hue”, NZ Herald, December 14), nine of the All Blacks squad of 33 for the 2023 Rugby World Cup were Canterbury/Crusaders players and many squads of recent years have had a definite reddish hue. If the best available All Blacks squad chosen by Razor has a reddish hue, why draw a negative implication about it?
Max Courtney, Havelock North
Lobby group calls out new Police Commissioner over arming his officers.