Letters: Long, straight storm drain from river to coast prevent flood damage

A storm drain, something like this Los Angeles example, could be built from the Whanganui River above Upokongaro straight out to the coast to divert floodwaters, suggests Russell Eades. Photo / Supplied

There was an article in the Chronicle recently about a meeting that was to look at climate-change issues, among other things.

As a long-term solution to managing flooding risk, I believe the kind of storm drains used in LA could be an option. If it was built from where the river bends and follows the coast just before Upokongaro, straight out to the coast, that should provide a mechanism to release excess water from the river.

Not as big as in the picture, but that would depend on how much water needs to be managed.

Funding — Old Man River, the city's newest natural person, should take some responsibility — it is their water, after all.

Regional council, the new Regional Development Fund and maybe insurance companies could chip in. Just an idea to float.

RUSSELL EADES
Whanganui

1080 at Bonny Glen

Thank you, Whanganui Chronicle, for alerting us all to the toxic 1080 poison dumping at Bonny Glen landfill near Marton.

Instead of monitoring this landfill like hawks — it would appear that our own local and regional councils have been caught fast asleep at the landfill gates, too exhausted by their own empire-building and self-importance.

With a manufacturer's warning label of "acutely toxic" and "danger, deadly poison", no wonder that this poison was trucked and dumped 1000km from its South Island base.
As you read this, just imagine all of the vital earthworms and essential soil invertebrates dining on this highly toxic deadly feast — the underground ecology of Bonny Glen destroyed. (Abridged)

CLARE WISHART
Marton

Enduring suffering

I could literally spend all day responding to Ken Orr's many letters, but I doubt he would even be "up" for a proper conversation.

Mr Orr is obviously still "stuck" in a historic place of time. The whole world is now pushing for this legislation because in the 21st century people appreciate there are better and kinder ways to die.

Parliament hasn't "decreed" there are some lives not worthy of living — those lives have already been cut short by terminal and incurable illness — the poor individual (including myself, living with Stage IV terminal breast cancer) doesn't get to have a say.

Assisted dying/euthanasia is not about ending life — it's about enduring suffering. The solution is simple: If you don't agree with it, don't ask for it.

TANYA BATTEL
Australia

Advocates important

It was shocking to learn about the treatment of her father, recounted by M. Donne-Lee (July 15). What I took from this experience is the importance of having someone to advocate for you when you lack the ability to do it yourself.

I did not draw the conclusion that the passage of the End of Life Choice Bill could allow the institution's staff to treat him any worse than they were already doing. In my opinion, the current situation, where a person has no choice but to go on suffering, is the one that devalues human life.

Also, M. Donne-Lee is incorrect if s/he really believes that someone whose "reasoning may be impaired" could get through the strict eligibility tests. The applicant has to have the ability to understand the nature and consequences of assisted dying, as well as be suffering in a manner which cannot be relieved, and a whole lot of others. I won't go into it all. Just read the bill for yourself.

D. COOPER
Waikanae

Personal choice

The winds that blow contrary to the introduction of the legal use of medicinal cannabis are influenced, I believe, by a strong Victorian-era ethos that persists: that if something is deemed pleasurable, then it must be bad and must be suppressed.

This is very sad for the tens of thousands of Kiwis for whom medicinal use of cannabis, if it is able to be accessed, albeit illegally, is the only source of relief for ongoing, soul-wearying, chronic pain, and then with the legal status of being a criminal.

Recreational use is another matter, and Victorian ethos plays even stronger here for something that — like alcohol, tobacco and other substances, legal and illegal — boils down to personal choice that the state should have little input into.

Where the state does justifiably have a say, I believe, is where the use of any of the above affects adversely the lives of others. That is where regulation is required. Outside of this, I consider personal choices should be left to individuals, as is fitting given the personal freedoms we all inherit as our birthright as humans here on this planet.

PAUL BABER
Aramoho

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