Many of these homeowners fail to take even basic steps such as taking out flood insurance or seeking engineering advice before they buy or build, and simply rely on either council or the taxpayer to pick up their tab if all else fails.
Perhaps it’s time to take a harder line on where houses are allowed in a flood-risk area?
Bruce Woodley, Birkenhead.
There’s no ‘R’ in cellphone
It is great to read cellphones are banned from school classes.
When I taught they were locked in the classroom cupboard until 3pm or earlier if needed.
Mothers panic but the school will definitely contact you in the case of an emergency and you can contact the school.
Also, the hour a day of basic core subjects, English, maths and reading, is a move for better learning. Sadly technology has overtaken the basic core subjects and ruled in the classroom with inquiry thinking (problem solving), which is great.
But sadly no student can problem-solve until they have learnt the 3 Rs: reading, writing and ‘rithmetic.
We live in a world of information overload but schools need to recognise the basics of all top achievers in education come from the 3 R rule.
From there they will progress to become greater adults of tomorrow.
Marilyn Cure, Papamoa.
Phone misnomer
Mobile phones are a tremendous asset for doctors, police, firefighters and of course emergency workers. Regrettably, they are also becoming an incumbent on society.
To defend their validity as a constant companion, even in the classroom, is surely a misnomer.
During lessons, the teacher is their mentor and the person they should be completely switched on to.
John Norris, Whangamatā.
Scooter dangers
A family is devastated by an e-scooter death in Auckland this week.
E-scooter riders have a higher rate of isolated falls than cyclists, yet they are situated in an awkward and uncontrolled place within by-laws, road and pavement rules and the general social orbit. I recently discussed this with an elderly woman, black and blue from being knocked down by one.
Auckland Transport is a siloed corporate organisation, unable to move with the changes of a post-postmodern world.
I have shared buses recently with three scooters on board, taking up three seats for the elderly and the disabled.
Yesterday someone brought a dog on board (not a guide dog). Most days someone rides free.
No one says anything, no one does anything, and there appear to be no rules.
Russell Hoban, Ponsonby.
Lacking leadership
It is about time Captain Christopher Luxon took control of his “inherited, merry band of various, assorted miscreants”, otherwise he risks going down with his ship.
Voters are sick and tired of hearing about the various, politically-driven agendas pushed by an assortment of ego and publicity-seeking novice politicians.
For goodness sake, grow up and focus solely on sorting out our myriad catastrophic economic, infrastructure, health, education and housing problems that you were elected for.
It is patently clear some of the new ministers are completely out of their depth and it is only a matter of time before they “walk the plank” or are sacked.
I have seen many kindergarten children with better manners, thought processes and acumen.
Bruce Tubb, Devonport.
Sport safety
A concern for safety is prevalent in our society. Airbags in cars, life jackets in boats, traffic signals, regulations for food and drugs, and so on.
So why are we not more concerned about safety for athletes in contact sports? It has long been recognised that when one’s head is moving at speed and comes in contact with a solid object (the ground, another head, etc) a concussion is the likely outcome.
The NRL’s answer to reducing concussions was to pass new rules to reduce the speed of the contact. But that will only work in limited circumstances.
In that bicycle and motorcycle riders are most likely to be involved in a moving-head-meets-solid-object event, a law was passed requiring the rider to wear a helmet.
The protection from a helmet is proven, yet our macho rugby and football players disdain wearing any protection gear and the NRL is yet to require it.
Can anyone please explain why wearing gear to protect your body makes you less of a man?
Vernon Pribble, Northcross.
Recycling riposte
Having found the numbers on a plastic meat tray unreadable, and removing the tops from (even well-rinsed out) bottles and containers I cannot fathom how the new rules are going to work.
Juice, milk, shampoo and conditioner residue (to name a few liquids) will leak all through the paper and cardboard in the bin, surely contaminating the load in a different way.
Threatening us with removal of our recycling bins on a “three strikes out” basis as someone (supposedly in authority) said on TV recently isn’t going to help educate the masses unable to differentiate between types of hard plastic within a certain size range either.
The old system of glass bottles, cans and paper all being put out in separate containers with the addition of another for plastic is the only sensible way of sorting recycling since the stupid idea of putting it all in one bin under the pretence it could be dealt with at a receiving station was introduced.
Coralie van Camp, Remuera.
The Chase is not fixed
Correspondent Jock Mac Vicar’s assumption that The Chase TV show is a fraud is ludicrous (HoS, Jan 28).
Surely he realises that the show is recorded and there are probably three or four shows filmed in a day.
Host Bradley Walsh’s questions would have to be pre-written for him and it would be impossible for the questions to be given to him as the show progresses.
For Jock to suggest they would have been manipulated to suit a desired outcome is laughable. I’m not sure how many Chase shows he has watched, but any team members can answer the final questions, they just have to buzz in first.
Does he suggest they can just shout out the answer and the right one is picked? It would be chaos.
John Leary, Sandringham.
