Letters: True heroes, White Island, Lizzie Marvelly, sausage sizzle and the old Ponsonby library

Superheroes walk amongst us and are ready to lend a hand. Photo / 123rf

Letter of the week: Manuel Scott, Glen Eden

My sister's resting place was found in September after disappearing five years ago from Taipa in Northland.
I want to thank the Northland Police and the Auckland forensics team who travelled up and worked in the rain through the night to find us answers and bring her home. Also the team members at Auckland Hospital who kept her safe and returned her to us.
These professionals acted with empathy and concern at a very emotional time for us. These people are the unsung true heroes for me, doing their job day in and day out to bring closure during tragic times.
As they deal with the tragedy at White Island, my heart goes out to all of them as they must then go home and celebrate Christmas with their families. We are lucky to have these wonderful people, and I wish you all "ofa atu" for the festive season and a bright New Year.

Hayden Marshall-Inman

My husband and I were on the Pee Jay 5 that caught fire on January 18, 2016 - a day we will never ever forget. Hayden, our tour guide, was amazing and our hearts are broken to find out that he died.
I remembered Hayden as a really funny person and so loved by his co-workers. After we did our tour of White Island, we had lunch on the boat. We were sitting 10 steps from him where he was laughing and making jokes. When the boat caught fire that day, he was the first one to run and help.
We send lots of love to Hayden's family, he will always be a hero and an amazing person. Thanks for keeping us save that day.
Antoinette & Brian Galloway, Pakuranga.

Attack politics

Lizzie Marvelly's article (Weekend Herald, December 14) was a difficult read. It was quite nauseating to find out that the National Party is using dirty tactics online so they can manoeuvre themselves into a position next year to win voters over.
They do not have a strong contender in Simon Bridges, but they can, it seems, use the polling of the country to find out likes/dislikes of its citizens and to use this knowledge on Twitter, Facebook, etc in the hope that what they say will appeal. More importantly, they have scrutinised the tactics used by Australia's Scott Morrison and America's Donald Trump and through ridiculing and abusing opposition members they are hoping for a similar success at next year's elections.
This really is an insult to us. Look at our people. Look at how they handle a crisis, look at the way money is given to help those who need it, look at the way good people put their own lives on the line for others and look at the support and responsibilities we have all shown when a need arises.
Attack the problem? Yes, but not the man.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.

Tackle policies

Some years ago in a Super Rugby game, Andrew Hore complained to the ref after a penalty against his Hurricanes team "aren't we allowed to tackle Dan Carter?" I feel that Jacinda Ardern somehow has come to occupy the same rarefied space. Any criticism of her government's quite poor record, or her as a leader, meets with the most strident pushback.
People such as Lizzie Marvelly (Weekend Herald, December 14) can complain about National's tactics all they like, but simply looking at the policies shows in stark terms the depth of her failure. Fees free? Has not lifted enrolments. Tax working group? Millions spent researching, no change to policy. Oil and gas cut off? No research on jobs impact in regions affected. KiwiBuild? Yeah, right.
Ardern, as the leader, should be justly criticised for her failures. Hugs and being able to emotionally connect with people are great qualities, but they are no substitute for carefully worked through policy.
That is what people should be looking at when they make their decisions in 2020.
Patrick Houlahan, Titirangi.

Sausage sizzle

Oh dear, oh dear, Mr Robert Cross (Weekend Herald, December 14), could I reassure you that if I've put quality cooked sausages on my shopping list, then "them's are what I'll be buying"?
Should there be a scent of sausages sizzling somewhere, I'm likely to indulge in an impetuous purchase, more especially if it's a St John sausage sizzle.
St John's is poorly funded, we all know that, so it's imperative we all assist where we can with any fundraising.
The council was obviously turning a blind eye for a good cause but, because of the complaint, it will be forced to uphold the mobile food operators' bylaw.
Heather Mackay, Kerikeri.

Sizzle on

As a member of the St John Bay of Islands Committee (Weekend Herald, December 14), it is important to get our facts straight. At no point has Robert Cross approached any member of the St John Committee with any kind of offer to assist. The only communication we have had with Robert is toward our volunteers, either setting up the sausage sizzle or dismantling it at the end of the day.
The council has now made an offer to assist us with any licensing issue and St John will pursue alternative areas for our sausage sizzle to continue the much needed funds which supports our community.
Vivienne Javins, Paihia.

Family violence

New Zealand has one of the worst rates of family violence in the developed world. Notwithstanding this miserable statistic, Judge Emma Smith saw fit to discharge Jissen Porathur Johny without conviction for punching his wife in the face (Weekend Herald, December 14).
It would appear that the reasons for such leniency included the fact that he suffered from low self-esteem, had struggled to get work in New Zealand and instead spent time looking after his children.
In a statement to court his long suffering wife wrote that he was not normally so violent and when he hit her "it was usually a light backhand to the face".
I am aghast that a Judge in a New Zealand court sees the gravity of this type of abuse as "low to moderate", and that having low self-esteem and having to look after your children is a legitimate excuse for injuring another person.
Here we have an abuser rewarded for his behaviour without showing any obvious remorse, we have a wife accepting that being slapped and punched in the face is acceptable behaviour in New Zealand, and we have children growing up witnessing their father abusing their mother and the courts turning a blind eye.
Margrit de Man, Kingsland.

Ley's Institute

The regular blow to heritage delivered at Christmas comes, sadly, from Auckland Council this year.
Ley's Institute (Ponsonby Library) and Gymnasium, built in 1905 and 1906, still in use for their original purposes, are to be closed, due to "earthquake risk".
Disingenuously announced for the last day of the working week before Christmas, there has been no sign outside the library, no flyer drop to locals, nothing on council email newsletters received earlier this week, nothing from the Waitematā Local Board.
These Category 1 listed heritage buildings are so well patronised and have been an integral part of the inner west suburbs for over a century. Despite the seismic risk in Auckland rated as very low, the council is quoted as having no immediate plans for strengthening.
Mothballed buildings quickly become vandalised, so how about diverting a fraction of the millions being spent on downtown beautification to urgently upgrade two of the most beautiful and useful buildings in the city – that would be a more palatable Christmas surprise.
Helen Geary, St Mary's Bay.

A quick word

Nancy Pelosi and her Congress crew have impeached the President - what does that mean? It now goes to the Senate for trial where it will 101 per cent fail to convict the President. John Cooper, Devonport.

Does anyone ever manage to complete reading Lizzie's articles to the end? They really are hard work. Greg Moir, Kerikeri.

I agree with Jock MacVicar, it's ridiculous how many orange road cones are in use. Where are the red ones? Or the blue ones? Disgraceful. R Howell, Onehunga.

With Christmas fast approaching and holiday traffic already in full swing, a new army of orange cones has sprung up on the busy SH2 between Katikati and Tauranga. It would seem they are breeding overnight. Shelagh Glynan, Katikati.

With many shops offering discounts of 50-70 per cent, we can only assume we are being overcharged the rest of the year. Alan Boniface, Snells Beach

Could somebody high up in the health and safety management regime please explain the rationale behind closing access to Invercargill's museum due to the possibility of earthquake yet we were able to venture onto a small, active, volcanic island? Ray Willett, Te Anau.

I would think there was more plastic on one bale of hay than all the plastic that was on the goods I purchased at the supermarket. Wendy Galloway, Omokoroa.

Give the gift that is free. Give a hug. Hugs are free and one size fits all. Craig Fraser, Mission Bay.

"Sydney choking on smoke from fires" adjacent to a story about a weaker pact on climate change where "Brazil, Australia and the US were singled out for their refusal to compromise". Is this a case of God only helping those who help themselves ? Peter Jansen, Henderson.

It's a bit rich (both morally and financially) for the National Party to spend so much money wilfully misrepresenting the performance of our Labour-led Government's efforts to overcome the inherited effects of nine years of inaction. Michael Smythe, Northcote Point.

Unfortunately Lizzie, the campaign by the Nats will no doubt ramp up (leopards don't change their spots) as the blatant pursuit of power becomes overwhelming. Albert Aanensen, Taupo.

If the Government can help councils by offering bulk-bought electric-powered bicycles with discounts of $300-$1200, why can't the same caring Government offer Nissan Leafs or a range of other e-vehicles also at really low bulk-bought rates? Rob Bucanan, Kerikeri.

Are there any limits on the number of times an advertisement can appear on TV? Some adverts appear so many times, it is like brainwashing. Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.