Whanganui letters: Easter Fishing Competition another great event

The weigh-in at the Easter Fishing Competition. Photo / Lewis Gardner

I would like to congratulate the organisers of the Wanganui Easter Fishing Competition on another great, well-run Whanganui event

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors of all the amazing prizes on offer, especially to Andre, at the Whanganui Boating Centre, who sponsored the major spot prize of a Suzuki 6Hp 4-stroke outboard that I was very fortunate and lucky to win.

CRAIG SHERMAN
Whanganui

America's Cup tech a winner

In Gregor Paul's opinion article (Sport, April 7) about where he thinks the Government's sponsorship should go, he rates All Blacks rugby above the America's Cup. The two are totally different fish, rugby is a top team in sport and well recognised for it.

The America's Cup is showcasing New Zealand's ingenuity in technology development and is showcasing to the movers and shakers of this world - gaining their respect is the name of this game, getting them down here to see and meet the people very important.

Covid dealt a blow this year but we have to stick with it, it's important to our economy, the boat builders missed out on a lot of money this year.

The Government pumping money into rugby won't increase the economy much.

New Zealand has got itself into a situation that we can come up with world-leading tech, and are being respected for it, but you have to keep your profile in front of the world. That is what the America's Cup does.

GARTH SCOWN
Whanganui

Doing the sums

Re Horizons proposed rates increase: I have done my sums. This is to be over a three-year billing period and this is how it would work.

Presently I pay them at $318 per year. So an 8 per cent increase would take that to $343.44.

The following year sees a 7.3 per cent increase which ends up at $368.51.

Then the next year is a meagre 6.9 per cent, which finally adds up to $393.94.

This is an additional $75.94 which Horizons collects off me (and probably about the average for Whanganui) and every other house in the Whanganui district.

In the 2013 census there were 87,000 properties in the Manawatū/Whanganui districts, so let's be conservative and say there are now 100,000 properties that are rated by Horizons.

After three years of increasing rates, their income has gone up by a staggering $7,500,000-plus and this is coming out of your pockets for them to spend however they like.

If the figures are correct and there are only 100,000 properties, the total Horizons income will be a whopping $39,394,000 per year.

What I am also questioning is the fact that for every new property that is developed/subdivided, there is a rates bill to be paid to Horizons, so effectively they are already collecting a greater amount of rates by default.

I think they need to stop and do their own sums. Remember, Horizons works for the ratepayer and elections are just around the corner. [Abridged]

G SIMPSON
Whanganui

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