Letters: 'Club Metro' wrong image

I have to agree with Paul Brooks and his Midweek column of August 1. "Club Metro" — where the hell did that come from? Someone is joking, right?

What an absolute slap in the face for the old diggers, past and present. A total loss of dignity and respect.

I guess it will be the "Club Metro Anzac Service" then back to "Club Metro" for a knees-up and who knows what? The mind boggles. Conjures up all sorts of activities.

Surely they could have done better. Shame on you — "Lest we forget".

And while I'm on change, who is the bright spark who decided super-costly traffic lights systems are more effective and efficient than a simple roundabout? What planet are you on?

Why do Majestic Square and the Watt Fountain intersections work so well? Oh, that's right, they have roundabouts — probably soon to be changed to lights by the powers that be.

When this work was in progress, the makeshift roundabouts worked extremely well. Now one sits and waits for a full light change with no one else around — not even a cyclist.

Oh, that's right ... they all use the new, super-expensive St Hill St cycleway, hundreds of them, and they even have their own crossing signals. And what's with all the islands that are projecting themselves out into the roadways and congesting traffic flow?

Maybe they could throw some white sand and grow a palm tree or two on them ... and call it "Club Metro".

BRYAN STEWART
Whanganui

More happy stories, please

Wow-wee! Wanganui Chronicle, you've hit the jackpot in Saturday's paper (August 11) with a full front-page photo and write-up of six happy couples.

Summerset Village must be full of love. I, and other readers, would have felt the dedication, happiness, contentment and love as I read this happy story.

I wish these couples every happiness for the future, with good health to enjoy many happy years together.

I hope we can look forward to more happiness on the front page instead of gloom and sadness.

OLGA MCKERRAS
Whanganui

Give Ellis compensation

The looming teacher shortage can be sheeted home directly to the Peter Ellis witch hunt (similar to the Salem witch hunt in America, where they burnt people at the stake).

I believe the protagonists were motivated by not wanting a male kindergarten teacher because kindies were the preserve of females.

There is a move afoot to pardon/exonerate Peter Ellis; and I believe he should receive compensation.

Peter Ellis was fulfilling a dual role — one of a teacher and one of a male role model.

Up until the Peter Ellis trial, New Zealand had a surplus of teachers (both male and female) but the fear of being unjustly accused of child sex offending stopped males applying to become teachers.

BOB HARRIS
Whanganui

■Editor's note: There were no burnings as a result of the Salem witch trials. Nineteen people were hanged for "witchcraft" and a considerable number imprisoned. The English colonial government later declared the trials unlawful, the rights and good names of the accused were restored and their heirs were paid restitution. In 1957, 250 years later, the state of Massachusetts formally apologised for the events of 1692. (ref: Smithsonian.com)