A selection of letters to the editor. Have your say by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. Please also see letters rules at the bottom of this page.
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I apologise unreservedly for the offence caused, following my column dated July 20. It was not published in its entirety and below is the section that was removed.
"I am sorry for raising this issue in this way, but I do so having seen mums and dads, grandparents in their despair, in their real grief. All of us must be concerned."
This piece was written out of pouritanga, mamae and sheer frustration after returning from a tangi of a young man who thought he'd ended his pain by ending his life, but instead passed the pain on to his whanau and I have a great deal of aroha for those who have suffered from this. But I am also torn between the pain of the whanau and the pain of the young person whose life was taken in vain.
I wrote the column to bring attention to this issue and provoke discussion and debate. The controversial statement has come from practices we have used in the past on our marae and I am always conscious to look at our own tikanga, history and practices for solutions for our current issues. I do, however, understand this is not the only way to address this issue.
Since writing the column, I've heard of practices at marae where tangi of those who died of suicide are shortened and where tupapaku remain closed. Similar to what was suggested in my column, these are things to consider and discuss, not for me to enforce.
TE URUROA FLAVELL
Member of Parliament
Waiariki
No Mr Flavell, we shall not condemn those who have taken this tragic step.
These tortured souls need to be understood. What has driven them into such a deep depression that they believe going to that other place will give them "peace"? What has them made so afraid they cannot bear to live?
Young people would not be stupid to think "Yeah, let's commit suicide so we can have a big tangi"? Get real, attention seekers do not kill themselves.
For one to take their own life they would have to be suffering, be excruciatingly down in the depths of despair and hauntingly tortured.
These heartbroken brutally violated souls may have tried to tell someone. No one is listening. No one is believing. No one really gives a damn.
All of you out there who think you can sit in judgement of our beloved tortured souls, pull your woolly heads in.
Those people who want to bury them quickly or outside the gate to be stood on or have their caskets turned upside down in their graves, think again.
Be careful what and upon whom you judge - lest you be judged.
(Abridged)
JOYCE RULAND
Maketu
Ingrid Tiriana's creative talent has taken full flight in her article on computers in schools. Certainly, children have a lot of fun "playing around" with iPads and similar gadgets, but getting down to the educational nitty-gritty is a different matter.
At what point in their schooling would pupils change from handwriting to word processing?
Mastering this modern skill requires much practice, which most children would soon find tiresome. It's hard to imagine university students in the lecture room changing their frantic scribbling to tap-tapping on iPads. As for knowledge-gathering, most of the stuff on the internet requires a mature level of understanding. Poor readers would be completely lost.
The reality is that computers in schools are simply audio-visual aids and their usefulness depends on the availability of suitable software programs that can supplement the teachers' work.
Apparently, some lame brains at Orewa College have recommended that each Year 9 students should have an Apple iPad2. A promotional stunt perhaps? This device at about $800 is quite useless as an educational tool unless a full-size keyboard is added and the machine is loaded with costly software. The price would then be over $1000.
Hopefully, parents will recognise that the expertise of competent teachers far outweighs the so-called "advantages" of using computers.
HUGH WILSON
Rotorua
Roger Gordon highlighted the lack of population growth forecast for Rotorua, compared to elsewhere in the Bay of Plenty.
Tauranga, with a warmer climate and good facilities, is a popular retirement area. Restrictions on thermal heating, old houses, high rates and cold winters make Rotorua less attractive for the elderly.
With the decline in wood processing, log exports and the closure of forestry villages, Rotorua is no longer the service centre for the forestry industry.
We have all our eggs in the tourism basket without recognising it is very seasonal and dependent on exchange rates, the world economy and provides low-paid seasonal employment to a small number of locals.
Media and certain groups say our lakes are heavily polluted - this is not true. They are nutrient-rich which, under certain climatic conditions, leads to algal blooms. There has been great improvement in water quality from the days when effluent was discharged into the lakes. There will be further improvement as sewerage schemes around the lakes become fully operational.
Rotorua has the best lake fishing in the North Island, is central, well served by educational institutions and has room for growth. The council needs to focus on those who live and work here rather than tourists and make it an attractive, affordable town for residents and businesses.
ALAN DEVERSON
Rotorua
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