Letters: Return to Pike River for lost souls

Flames leap from the ventilation shaft at the Pike River Mine, November 2010. PHOTO/FILE

Pike River transcends politics, governments and big business; Pike River is about Kiwis - because all of us, each and every one are involved; it is how we feel about one another; it is what makes us Kiwis.

Throughout the many conflicts New Zealanders have been involved with there has always been a strict code - never leave a man down - go back and get them out; this is how it must be with this tragic mine.

There are sufficient experienced miners in the world - Wales, South America, USA, Germany - we would not have to ask them twice.

These lost souls who now rest at the bottom of this mine are our husbands, brothers, fathers, sons and we just cannot leave them - their loved ones must have closure.

In my view there are 4.4 million of us who know in our hearts that if we were personally involved - then that would be our wish; it has to happen.

JIM ADAMS
Rotorua

The one positive outcome of our local council electorate results is that nothing has changed and it is business as usual; thank goodness for that because for a while I thought that leopards may indeed be capable of changing their spots. That the second highest polling candidate and the new candidate are surprised surprises me too.

JOSEPH GIELEN
Rotorua

During the 2016 Rotorua Lakes Council election the Rotorua District Residents & Ratepayers (RDRR) endorsed an attempted power-bloc of seven candidates. One of the issues they campaigned on was the current portfolio system. On their website and on propaganda distributed around Rotorua they described the portfolio system by saying "Portfolio priorities trump community priorities and maintenance, provide slush funds to deliver non-core services, and vanity and legacy projects." The RDRR solution to this perceived issue was to "Scrap Portfolios".

It is for this reason I was incredibly surprised to read about two RDRR councillors who are distraught at their exclusion from leading any portfolio.

In my view, the councillors who were democratically elected have been selected as portfolio leads based on merit. They have proven themselves previously and I trust they will do the same moving forward.

[ABRIDGED]
RYAN GRAY
Rotorua