Letters: Council should stick to core functions

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick has joined forces with two other regional mayors to instigate radical social change in their districts. Photo/File

I was shocked to read that, based on the McGuinness Institute report, the mayor would like to see the responsibility for distribution of some of the scarce central Government funding for health, welfare, education, employment and policing passed over to a group so that it could "develop its own ways of moving forward". (Rotorua Daily Post, February 4).

Yes, as she says, it would be a radical change. Equally radical and alarming that someone should suggest a programme based around "demarcation zones". This expression conjures up thoughts of isolation of the many falling outside the demarcation zones, divisions, corruption and bribery. Most of us know what this type of policy has done in other countries.

The report suggests that experimental zones should be trialled in isolated communities, of which Rotorua could be one.

There is little enough Government funding for social services, so it's worrying that it could be wasted on a trial, and trials can fail, thereby failing those in our community for whom it is intended. And, at the end of the day, who is ultimately accountable?

Developing "its own ways of moving forward" suggests an enormous amount of talking, multitudes of meetings, and duplication of work already performed at central-Government level. Funding should be spent at the coalface.

Councils should stick to the very necessary provision of core services as required under the Local Government Act.

Advice, yes, financial accountability, no. These enormously complex and inter-related issues are the domain of central Government, unbiased and with no demarcation.

PADDI HODGKISS
Rotorua

Seeing Rainbow Springs with new eyes

We would like to congratulate Rainbow Springs on the wonderful new addition to their summertime attractions. With family visiting from overseas we recently booked for the Dine and Discover evening. Arriving at six-ish with four young children we firstly went and fed the eels in a close encounter of the exciting kind.

We then gathered on the green, next to the children's playground and ate a delicious six-course meal, serenaded by a delightful and melodious young woman and watched the youngsters punctuate their meal with fun on the playground or games of giant noughts and crosses or Connect 4. All this with excellent service.

As darkness fell, equipped with torches [supplied by the Springs] and accompanied by a guide with excellent entomological knowledge, we saw Rainbow Springs with new eyes.

Standing at the glow worm cave with four wide-eyed children, spotting koura, trout, spider webs and much more was just magical! The evening finished in the kiwi house and all four birds were easy to see going about their business.

As locals we have visited Rainbow Springs many times, but this experience was something we will treasure for ever and is without doubt world class. Thank you to all involved, our family was enriched by this evening.

PETER AND JENNY WEST
Rotorua

Manukau bus terminus disaster

Really enjoyed reading the Rotorua Daily Post this week. Congratulations for printing M Sleeman's letter sticking up for the unborn child: very refreshing
to see that courage exists in the heart of editors.

Also, on the new Manukau bus terminus: I returned from Aussie last week and we had to catch a tiny local bus to Manukau from the airport, then wait an hour in the rain, at an even tinier shelter by a closed mall, for our Rotorua "Intercity" to come. In the end there were about 50 people waiting in the rain under a wrecked shelter, many international travellers, for the bus.

My wife and I went through the deluge and got some food at McDonald's as we were starving, and everyone else sat and watched us eat our burgers ... so bizarre. Even the sparrows were pathetically thin.

What a city Auckland is! It's like there's nobody home, nobody actually making decisions or plans. Even little old Rotorua at least has a respectable bus station to be proud of.

G J PHILIP
Rotorua