Letters: Traffic, Lotto, political donations, Donald Trump and coronavirus

One writer says Auckland motorists need some perspective on the plague of road works in the city. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Ignore the bleaters on traffic woe

My heart bleeds for those unfortunate souls whose lives are being blighted by traffic delays from roadworks so thoughtlessly thrust upon them by "idiot" Auckland Council employees who are trying to rapidly improve the city to be ready for events of world importance such as Apec and the America's Cup.
I, too, have to drive across downtown Auckland in the morning rush hour, but always think how improved the city's going to be when the work is finished, how myriad visitors will enjoy their visits here much more, and how countless millions of Aucklanders to come will benefit.
Someone should send these bleaters on a one-way trip to Syria, Iraq, or one of a score or so other such countries, and let them see first-hand just how hard done-by they really are. Perhaps they should be ignoring an early morning radio person who seems to have a massive ego but remarkably little worth saying.
D.B. Leslie, St Heliers.

Lotto jackpot

Here we go again, $42 million is an absurd amount of cash for a single Lotto win and takes money away from essentials that people should be buying, rather than this frenzy of extra ticket purchases for Lotto.
The proof is in the telling statistic that big jackpots have lured New Zealanders into spending $894m in 2014-15 to $1.25 billion in 2017-18 on Lotto; that's $350m more going to gambling and not on food.
Lotto should jackpot at $10m.
Glenn Forsyth, Taupo.

Political donations

It seems in many countries political parties are descending into corruption, which soon becomes a way of life.
Even the once bastion of democracy the US has succumbed to dodgy dealings within the justice system.
I just hope that what we are seeing with the donation scandals does not herald the ending of NZ's name as corruption free. Hiding money by splitting it into small amounts is not in the spirit of the law.
And anyone who wishes to donate a large sum should do it openly and with pride, with only a big thank you as reward.
Vince West, Milford.

Balanced view

I urge those who desire a more balanced view of American politics to seek additional sources other than the liberal ones that monopolise the New Zealand media. There are a number of articles about Trump in Saturday's Herald, two at least presenting a one-sided view. The article on Trump being helped by a campaign of interference by Putin's Russia fails to mention the US Intelligence Committee suggests they are equally helping Senator Sanders. The article claiming the sentence of Roger Stone was inappropriately influenced by the Attorney-General failed to mention that the Obama-appointed judge gave him a sentence about half of that initially recommended by justice officials. Trump is an easy target because of his unattractive personal qualities, but New Zealand readers who rely on our media to understand what is happening in America are again likely to be shocked when he wins a second term in November.
M.A. Pollock, Mt Eden.

Free speech

Lizzie Marvelly (Weekend Herald, February 22) regrets that Sir Bob Jones has the right of free speech but Renae Maihi does not in response.
But the right of free speech, though fundamental, is not and cannot be an absolute — it does not trump all. It is not available to falsely and wrongly denigrate another, causing damage or adverse perception in the court of public opinion.
Jones has a point that Maori are the beneficiaries of European know-how and skill. But I would not condone or defend the insensitive way he said it, nor his omission that European settlers, hungry for the land they were denied in Britain, often wrongfully took Maori land causing great loss and hurt.
But Maihi's point could have been made thus, so as to avoid using the "racist" allegation itself designed to stifle debate, to denigrate. If this wrongfully causes harm, it goes beyond the outrageous and bereft opinion that free speech allows.
John Collinge, St Mary's Bay.

Covid-19 effects

Even once the Covid-19 virus subsides, hibernates or mutates, it will take lots longer to assess the long-term effects.
We all must be wondering about the honesty of information supply, and transparency of China and other Governments as to what is really happening, and their political considerations in harm reduction.
Travel is now off the agenda for many hundreds of millions of people, as is gathering in crowded spaces. Economies, like NZ's, are suffering from "China dependency" as the factory of the world shuts its doors to contain the virus. Maybe we don't need all that stuff made in China?
The rich countries now can see the problem of poorer countries having few medical facilities, testing and quarantine capacity. Countries like war-torn Syria may just explode with viral cases soon to further exacerbate its ruin. Ironically its brutal leaders may just succumb to this virus rather than a bullet fired in anger.
The safety and dependency of cities may be questioned globally as towns fortify themselves fiercely in Ukraine and China and even Italy now ... paranoia is being heightened as it appears 14 days is not sufficient quarantine period and that advice was proven erroneous.
So who holds the ultimate power on Earth? A virus? Maybe it is co-operation the world's people need to cope, rather than scrapping greedily for the available crumbs.
Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.

Boult batting

One can only stand and admire Trent Boult's revolutionary batting technique which can best be described as swatting the cricket ball. And even when swatting the ball for a single he spends so much time admiring the shot his partner doesn't need to bother running. I hope he writes a book for tail-enders on his revolutionary batting technique and we see a lot more tail-enders adopting the swatting technique locally and internationally, as for entertainment value and a crowd pleaser it leaves the openers and even the middle-order batsmen for dead in the five-day game and, in my opinion, is more than worth the price of admission.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.

Hosking responses

Radio host Mike Hosking's recent views have attracted a mixed response from Herald contributors, many resorting to personal attack, little response devoted to the content of his subject matter.
Hosking has this past week suggested the economy is sadly underperforming, his case substantiated with stark statistics relating to social assistance. Hardship, housing and emergency food grants have increased 45 per cent, 146 per cent, and 65 per cent respectively, record numbers of major concern. Add those seeking unemployment benefits which have risen 15,000 and his claim is validated, simply too many "on the sidelines", their potential untapped when jobs abound.
Little wonder since the advent of the coalition governance the inherited fiscal surplus is all but spent and state borrowing is very much back in vogue.
P.J. Edmondson, Tauranga.

National anthem

The article regarding the singing of the national anthem at Carlton School in Whanganui (Herald, February 22) raises interesting questions about the appropriate path schools should navigate when addressing concerns around the anthem. Given the overtly religious connotation of the lyrics, it straddles the boundary separating ordinary songs from those deemed to have the character of a religious observance such as hymns. Not all parents are comfortable with their child's involuntary conscription into something that goes against their personal convictions, religious or otherwise.
Some parents object to the anthem on religious grounds. Others object on moral grounds, on the conviction that the anthem is really a treatise on collective self-abasement, given its allusions to dutiful deity boot-licking.
The primary school's principal, Gaye O'Connor, shows what it is to have a mature and considerate understanding of the diversity that comprises a school community. The text communication to parents at O'Connor's behest, informing them that their child can be opted out should the parents so wish, demonstrated that. For this gesture she ought to be commended and seen as an exemplary model for other principals to emulate.
Joshua Barley, Napier.

Fraudster's release

Convicted fraudster David Ross is due to be released from prison today. He is an accomplished conman yet has served only about six years of a nearly 11-year sentence. His victims have learned the hard way that our legal system is entirely inadequate for returning the $115 million of defrauded money to its original owners.
Most investors only got back 20 per cent of their investment. Why so little? Because our courts let some investors keep money defrauded and illegally redistributed by Ross as payouts. His practice of robbing Peter to pay Paul has been legitimised by our Supreme Court.
As usual the big winners are the liquidators and lawyers, whose costs of $6m were paid from victims' investments. Victims should not have to pay to untangle Ross' dishonesty. The finance industry should pay. It needs to take responsibility for the long line of crooks produced from within its ranks.
Andrew Tichbon, Green Bay.