Your views: Reader's letters

One in a million

It is with shock and sadness we read of the passing of Dr Chris Cresswell.

Chris was a doctor in a million!

A man of great principles, a man who truly believed he could make a difference (and make a difference he surely did).

I well remember my husband needing his heart shocked five times in eight days. I asked if I could hold Charles' hand the first time, and Chris replied, with a twinkle in his eye, "Sure you can, but I wouldn't recommend it."

He could easily have made me feel silly; instead we all had a good laugh during a scary and stressful situation for us.

His green principles were such that even if half of us followed them the world would be a much better and more sustainable place.

Chris, you will be sadly missed. Your life mattered. You made a difference.

Our thoughts go to your family; Wanganui will be the poorer for your passing. Rest in peace.

JENNY and CHARLES JACKSON
Papaiti

Half-baked

Mr G R Scown's proliferous utterances on the future well-being of human society and the environment mark him and his acolytes as yesterday's men, conceptually speaking, with their philosophies stalled at the bakery.

L E FITTON
Whanganui

Co-operation

The "Beyond 2030" group is capable of arranging its own publicity without advice from Stan Hood's letter (December 17).

A paid advertisement ensures that everything is published.

Mr Hood mentions democracy in his letter. The previous council's action in having a contract for $41 million signed weeks before a new council is elected is not a good example when the new council has to deal with the outcome.

A big thing is made of Alan Taylor's appointment to a position. Any sensible mayor hands out positions in an even-handed manner.

Mr Hood is suggesting that the group is not co-operating. An example of their co-operation is the group's acceptance of the mayor's appointment of deputy mayor, which I doubt would have been their choice.

They could have nominated another councillor and forced a vote. They did not. A recently elected mayor of Horowhenua had his appointment of deputy mayor overturned. A month after the mayor's appointment the council overturned his choice and elected a new deputy mayor.

The matter was referred to the local bodies' association.

The chairman's reply was that councils can overturn a mayor's choice of deputy mayor, but the mayor should consult with council before making any such appointment.

K BENGE
Whanganui

High ground

Seven councillors have sought to register their concerns over Whanganui's new wastewater treatment plant. In his Christmas criticism of this, Mayor McDouall has ignored the following salient points.

In the 2016 local government election Whanganui voters elected these councillors with 59 per cent of the votes cast. These seven stood clearly on a platform of review of the decision made last council term to build the designed and contracted plant. Councillors returned who either supported that decision, or took no stance at all, garnered just 41 per cent of the vote. The mandate we seven enjoy is overwhelming. We owe it to our concerned citizens to make good on our promise to see that this plant is affordable. We are far from convinced that it is.

The mayor denigrates our approach as "commercially naive" and questions our competence to conduct council business. Yet these seven councillors have personal business records that exude success and acumen as principals and employers in private and company ventures ranging through civil and geotechnical engineering, manufacturing, company management, farming, medicine, and retailing. As far as I am aware, none failed.

What we have asked for is the opportunity to be fully satisfied that council has been diligent and prudent in making the decision it has. That opportunity still goes begging. Many questions remain unanswered, many estimates remain unmade, and important decision paths remain undetermined.

Our mandate places us on the moral high ground. We have sought democracy and not received it.

CR ALAN TAYLOR
Whanganui Beyond 2030

Photo request

I, along with others, was fortunate to win a seat in the waka with Mahe Drysdale and the others, the day before the Billy Webb Challenge recently.

If anybody took any photos of the waka on the river, could they please send them to me at: rodnewport@icloud.com, as I didn't have anybody present to do so for me.

ROD NEWPORT
Whanganui

War in Syria

The Washington Post is confused (Chronicle, January 3). The American Coalition did nothing of the sort. Russia bombed the oil convoys into Turkey, and helped the Syrian "regime" retake Palmyra and the oilfields.

The Coalition opposed this, and Turkey shot down a Russian plane.

While Russia and the Syrian "regime" were busy in Aleppo, the Coalition allowed 5000 Isis fighters to race from Mosul and retake Palmyra and the oilfields.

Despite this, the Syrian war is ending. The Coalition has airlifted thousands of Isis fighters into the Yemen war, and thousands have gone home.

Thousands more shelter in Turkey, where they openly sell guns, drugs and Yazidi slave girls. Isis has set off bombs, biting the hand that feeds them.

Presidents Erdogan and Putin have become friends of sorts. Turkey occupies northern Syria and part of Iraq, and has killed perhaps 100,000 Kurds, who are the only effective enemies of Isis in Iraq.

On the other hand, Turkey no longer demands regime change in Syria, which is why the Coalition started the war in the first place, six years and 500,000 deaths ago.

I hope President Trump will stop this war and end the confusion.

ALAN DAVIDSON
Gonville

Thanks

I just want to put in a big thank-you to the Whanganui Hospital for the care and kindness that they showed me when I broke my femur.

Nothing was too much trouble for them to help.

Also for the ambulance men as they were so patient with me.

A big thank-you to you all.

J M J MORRIS
Whanganui

Evidence wins

I do not wish to enter into a debate with Mandy Donne-Lee re faith-based belief systems versus evidence-based belief systems.

It has been done to death since Copernicus, and -- as an explanation to make sense of the nature of the world we inhabit -- evidence-based systems win every time.

I could invent a divinely claimed faith-based system and call it the Church of the Cream Cheese and promote my Cream Cheese Bible. It doesn't make it the truth but is equally as valid as any other faith-based system; no empirical evidence required.

Humanity has survived and dominated their environment for a few hundred thousand years. We're a parasite on the planet that spawned us. Can we survive our own success as a species?

As a positive person may I suggest a few of the following concepts as the basis for a new future practical religion -- if we indeed need one.

�Rely on the positive and creative characteristics in one's own person and allow this to filter through society.

�Don't believe in fake news without empirical evidence that proves its reality.

�Respect new knowledge and always be prepared to adjust belief systems in response.

�Work with the planet and not against it for the future sustainability of our species.

�Throw off past cultural, political and economic shackles of faith-based systems that emphasise the negative in subjugation to a despotic, vengeful narcissist god.

Not the Ten Commandments, but I'm not God and won't be setting myself on fire in the old blackberry at the back of my property.

Simple, positive stuff for surviving 2017.

PAUL EVANS
Parkdale

Book donations

As friends and acquaintances have noticed, I have won many children's books this year in your Readers' Rewards offer in the Wanganui Chronicle and I thank you sincerely for the chance to enter and win these beautiful books.

They have all been given to either Durie Hill School or Maxwell Kindergarten, where my two daughters are teachers, and where those children have been delighted by the wonderful stories and have expressed their appreciation by writing excellent letters and drawing pictures to thank me.

Well done, Room 3, Durie Hill School and Maxwell Kindergarten. I will try to win more "fun" for you [this] year.

As one child wrote: "You must be very good at winning things. My family is terrible."

I have been lucky, and we all thank you and the book providers for the opportunity.

Happy New Year to all.

GAY MANNING
Whanganui