REGARDLESS of whether fireworks continue to be available to the public or not, how about celebrating on an event many New Zealanders relate to?
The first night of Matariki seems most appropriate.
The fireworks can be regarded as starbursts.
This makes far more sense than the November date, relating to an English theme featuring plots of destruction and death.
Let's get NZ positive.
DARRYL SCHWAMM
Castlecliff
Something borrowed
Memo to new National MP Agnes Loheni (maiden speech quoted by Paula Bennett, Chronicle, March 4): US President George W. Bush is calling. He wants his words — "the soft bigotry of low expectations" etc — back (actually written by presidential speech writer Michael Gerson).
Bush used that exact opening phrase to rationalise his failed education programme, "No Child Left Behind", which degraded American public school education by imposing testing over teacher initiatives.
It was a back door to privatised charter schools. A similar programme here under National has thankfully been abandoned.
JAY KUTEN
Whanganui
Count the dead
And who made you God? As the United States stares down the barrels of oil in Iran and Venezuela with a coterie of embargoes, sanctions and threats, one wonders how a man in a White House can wield such power on behalf of the "free" world?
Whatever happened to that "toothless tiger", the League of Nations (latterly the United Nations), so woefully positioned in New York?
The Gang of Six — or is it nine? — nuclear powers exercise carte blanche over the rest of the world.
Let me recount Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, Haiti, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, to name a few.
Better still, count the millions dead.
Time to stand up and be counted, and there goes my visa to America. No loss.
KEN CRAFAR
Durie Hill
Capital markets tax
There's too much talk wasted on the Capital Gains Tax when we sorely need a capital markets tax, i.e. a tiny tax of about one-quarter of a cent on bank withdrawals.
It would make the currently sacrosanct GST redundant, because such a financial transaction tax would fall most heavily on the money market speculators and the big transnational corporations.
Problem is that commentators like Mike Hosking (Chronicle, March 2), while rightly critical of the CGT and the myopic MPs who want it, are reticent about widening their own vision.
Seems they haven't read, for instance, the proposal made to the Tax Working Group from Social Credit leader Chris Leitch (socialcredit.nz/submissions), about replacing the regressive GST with an immensely fairer FTT.
Taxpayers are surely entitled to hear the facts.
HEATHER MARION SMITH
Castlecliff
Support for rural victims
There is a perceived lack of access to services and support for rural women who are family violence victims (Chronicle, February 18).
We are fortunate in the Waimarino to have a good GP practice which could be the first point of contact for those seeking help.
The Whanganui Regional Health Network, being proactive in the area, has appointed a social worker to work in conjunction with nursing and medical staff to work with victims seeking help and support. The Women's Refuge, based in Taumarunui, provides safety, support and advocacy across the greater Waimarino catchment area.
Likewise, the Wellstop Organisation is also able to provide crisis response to victims in this rural region of Whanganui. It only requires victims to make contact with these organisations, perhaps to the GP practice in the first instance.
ROB THOMSON
Registered Social Worker, Parapara Rd
Come and visit Foxton
We have had visitors from the Sunshine Coast and they just loved Foxton, and Foxton Beach, and we turned on the sunshine for them.
We showed them our whole area and they were so impressed after not having been to Foxton for over 50 years. They loved our new Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, our new shops and much more.
They loved their tour of our windmill and were told that in the past two months over 10,000 visitors have gone up those stairs to see where it all happens, flour made etc.
Both being born in Whanganui, Barry is a very keen racing man and as a boy used to visit our Foxton Racing Club and would love to see it reopen.
When you are driving north or south, take some time to visit our main street and see for yourself. I'm sure you will be impressed as well.
Looking forward to seeing you in Foxton soon.
GARY STEWART
Foxton Beach
Send your letters to: The Editor, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Whanganui 4500; or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz
Mandy Brooke says she has "got so much out of" her 10 years as manager.