Whanganui letters: We need children to be water wise

Photo / NZME

With the warm weather and the sad number of drownings recently, I find it baffling that Whanganui East Pool is closed. We need our children to be water wise and we need safe places for them to have fun.

Remember when we had pools in every suburb, and youngsters would cycle between them for competitions, stopping at one of the many dairies for sustenance. No obesity then and less mental distress, because we were too active to waste time on the interweb.

Perhaps next year the pool could be repaired before summer?

ANGELA STRATTON
Whanganui

Council priorities

We have had record drownings this summer season and, although the "Splash" is open, not everyone wants to swim inside. We have had no rain this year (at time of writing), and the provision of an outdoor pool for the use of families and children (particularly over the school holidays and tourist season) should be high on the priority of a council's social responsibility. [Abridged]

JEFF JAMIESON
Whanganui

Compassionate bank needed

I have been a foundation member of Kiwibank ever since Jim Anderton launched it to compete against the offshore banks that have been ripping off New Zealand for years.

Anderton saw "the benefits of the new bank as cheaper fees, the retention of banking profits in New Zealand, new services such as banking for children, more branches at convenient locations and greater flexibility for opening hours for bank customers".

When I went to sort out my banking obligations before Christmas I found the bank closed. There was a notice on the door stating that henceforth the bank will open only until 2pm. As a customer, I was not given any notice of this effect either by letter, phone call or email. It threw my Christmas into confusion.

Because of this, I was left wondering if Kiwibank has breached its charter and service obligations to me.

It is about time that the Government climbs down from its lofty heights and addresses its responsibilities and the aims of the Kiwibank charter. An MP and the top management of Kiwibank are not concerned with such a matter but the underprivileged in our land need a serviceable and compassionate bank that puts people and not profit first. This includes the wonderful people at Kiwibank's front counter.

Jim Anderton will be turning in his grave. [Abridged]

CHRISTODOULOS MOISA
Durie Hill

Growing social divide

Congratulations to Harete Hipango for standing with everyone in our community, both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.

Rapid antigen testing is the answer to our growing social divide, while keeping everyone safe in social situations and also in the workforce. I look forward to a time when equal access to venues and facilities are available to everyone who has been either vaccinated or has a negative rapid antigen test.

LOUISE ROSTRON
Whanganui

Crystal ball gazing

Rob Rattenbury (Opinion, January 10) might have added to his rather gloomy crystal gazing that the world will continue on its path to inevitable disaster because governments, and most they represent, will continue to put dollars and economic balance ahead of human or planetary wellbeing.

Well said Rob, and what's your conclusion regarding climate change?

PAUL BABER
Aramoho