Whanganui letters: Cryptic messages, council balances and mayoral stakes

The Whanganui District Council was a popular topic in recent letters from readers. Photo / Bevan Conley

The offering by the Chronicle and the mayor on January 10 signalled an early start to the mayoral stakes.

Being the only candidate last election, and the only winner, all of us are accountable.

We did it.

Let's begin with the Three Waters saga.

Let's pretend the current administration get another election victory.

Where would Three Waters locate its head office? Wellington? Another Transmission Gully?

I jest.

The current mayor could really make his mark by bringing all forces to bear on having Three Waters based in our city, at the mouth of the Whanganui.

I know his late father would back such a move.

BERNARD CORKERY
Whanganui

Getting cryptic

The headline on a story in [January 3] Chronicle page 8 includes "sent to prsion".
I immediately thought: "Is this the next thing - cryptic headlines?"

What if newspapers started a new trend - cryptic stories.

That would make for interesting reading.

Why not follow it up with cryptic adverts? It would take you at least twice as long to look at and understand the ad and the advertiser would benefit from the extra perusal.

May as well go the whole hog and print a 100 per cent cryptic newspaper. This trend could also be applied to legal documents. Lawyers have enough fun (and make money) interpreting laws, rules and agreements written in ordinary English - just imagine how much more fun (and money) they would have if these were written cryptically.

We are living in strange times - no harm in contributing to the strangeness.

DOUG PRICE
Castlecliff

While many people were romanticising amongst the covers of the latest Mills & Boon during the Christmas holiday period, I was devouring the scintillating pages of the Whanganui District Council's 2021 Annual Report.

The climax for me came when I read line 10 on page 184. I almost fainted with the excitement of seeing that after substantial losses over a sustained period of more than a decade, the WDC made a profit of $5.3 million on their financial derivatives (Interest Rate Swaps that fix the interest rate on council loans).

Now I know I have been critical of this council policy in the past (I still am!) but I must give credit where credit is due. So congratulations to the WDC and all those councillors who probably don't even know what an Interest Rate Swap is!

This is excellent news and the biggest gain we have ever seen since the council started fixing the interest rate on their loans

Sadly though, there is still a fair bit to catch up on as we are still $6.9m behind the cue ball due to previous losses since 2007.

STEVE BARON
Whanganui

In-home care troubles

Well done Natalie Miller!

I have been a client of HealthCare NZ for five years.

Since the centralisation of business in Auckland I have been aware of a lack of
communication and local knowledge resulting in extreme pressure on carers and clients leading to frustration and discontent all round.

A. COLLINS
Marton