Letters: $5K for China trip - no problem!

Photo/File

So, our mayor is wanting $5K for a trip to China, no problem!

It was only a week or so ago that one of our councillors was suggesting that local philanthropists, in his words, "who have oodles of money" should look at helping to fund the sculpture that is planned for the Hino Gorge roundabout and the refurbishing of the skateboard park. Why not add to that money for the mayoral visit to China?

Failing that, perhaps a cost overrun on the $4 million for the airport upgrade to the tune of $5K could help.

I believe we are also looking for a new name for the old City Focus? What about "Out of Focus"?

MIKE LONG
Rotorua

Traffic jam
Traffic coming into town on Te Ngae Rd stays much the same in volume between the Tarawera roundabout and the Fenton St lights, where it rarely backs up by more than one change of lights.

So replacing the Tarawera roundabout with lights and slip roads could ease the chronic holdup there.

MARK COLLET
Rotorua

Use it or lose it

I fully understand that some people (I know of at least one young lady) may have been offended by my remark that "Maori is a dead language" (Letters, February 4) to that end I feel obliged to further comment.

As a journalist I feel duty bound to create "thought" and "reaction"; I may not always believe in the body of my comments - I make said comments usually to stir reaction - it appears to have worked!

If one attacks something it usually creates a strong defence and often makes people think and act towards something they had previously not thought much about.

Maori, like Welsh, Cornish and thousands of North American Native languages is not a dying language; as long as people use and admire these tongues they will persist - I hope!

As the old saying goes - use it or lose it.

JIM ADAMS
Rotorua