Letters: Gripe with article on debt

A reader says it is wise to borrow with banks, rather than other lenders. Photo/File

Re Focus on repaying your debt by Jeremy Tauri (Money, February 9).

I have a gripe with this article.

Maybe you presume that everybody just books things up hithery dithery when in fact you should live within your means because it can become a slippery slope to bankruptcy.

You also say it is the norm for everybody to have debt all over the place when in fact the wise only use the bank because it's always cheaper and you build up a record with the bank.

This so-called craze of borrowing money all over the place is just another sorry case of when big business gets involved (leading lambs to the slaughter) right down to the chartered accountants.
(Abridged)

Gavin Muir
Rotorua

***
Ryan Gray's response to my letter (Letters, February 9) raises some interesting points which I would reply to as follows:

Firstly, he claims the Crown is to blame for depleted fish species as a result of the introduction of trout to the Rotorua Lakes, and that Te Arawa's petitions to the Crown were ignored for so long.

Not entirely correct, as for many years now members of Te Arawa have been compensated with free trout fishing licences every season.

Then of course is the fact he chooses to ignore that many of the six species concerned have in fact been depleted over the years by Maori themselves.

Just refer to many of the history books about Te Arawa and one will read about the hundreds of flax kete bags full of koura that were consumed at hui and tangi etc.

Combine this with the ongoing gathering of these native species in significant quantities under the banner of "customary and cultural practice", and one can understand why stocks have consequently been depleted.

Given the fact that our trout fisheries, which do generate considerable tourism benefits to our local economy, are managed by Fish and Game with stocks replenished regularly, which is perhaps a more appropriate method to oversee this issue.

The very fact that submissions regarding this proposed bylaw must be directed to the Te Arawa Lakes Trust reminds me of the saying of the "fox guarding the henhouse".

Mike Mcvicker
Rotorua

***

Head