Letters to the Editor
Mural discussion
It was an interesting article in the Cambridge News (This bird has flown, September 12) about the mural in Leamington Domain.
The mural artwork is beautiful. I walk my dog around the perimeter of the domain on a weekly basis and believed it would be a target for vandals – to pull off the pop outs. Some were pulled off at least one year ago and thrown around the park near the picnic table. I have picked up a few and placed them back on the ground nearby. Some were ripped off in entirety and some in small pieces. One after another targeted. Probably a random passer-by or two.
Remove the temptation to pull other bits off and leave the mural alone.
I do not believe it is Mother Nature.
Gillian Hogan
Leamington
Well said
I congratulate Gwynneth Purdie on her letter (The News September 12) around Māori Wards.
At the time of the council, along with many other councils, making the undemocratic decision to create Māori wards, I wrote to the council asking for their rationale. The answer from both Waipā and Taupō, two councils that I get to vote in, was that Māori were under represented. Women, people under 40 and children are all unrepresented – should we have a ward for them? Of course this would be ridiculous and unnecessary, but you can see my point. I also made the point that what they were doing was insulting to Māori as they were very capable of standing for local council seats, in their own right.
The problems around local bodies are our fault. We don’t vote in great numbers, we don’t get the right people to stand, so we get what we deserve. I am being disrespectful to those on our current councils, as I am sure that they want to do the right thing. Councils need to go back to basics and do their core roles well.
If we want a Māori voice, and I am not sure why their views would be more important than anyone else’s, then let’s encourage candidates by all means, to stand for the general seats on councils.
Dennis Catchpole
Te Awamutu
Letters to Editor. Photo: Pixabay
