Lots of Kiwi flair at the fashion fair

                 11.05.2000 - 

                 New Zealand dress designers exhibiting at this
                 Australian Fashion Week are more than a bright new
                 industry in this country. They could teach some more
                 established industries a few lessons about the attitude
                 needed by those who can compete with the world from
                 a small economy. The young designers' attitude has
                 never been better demonstrated than a few months ago
                 when four of them learned that Trade NZ, the state
                 agency for export promotion, would not sponsor them to
                 this year's London Fashion Week, where they made
                 such an impact last year. 

                 Only one complained. Governments around the world
                 supported their fashion industries, said Denise
                 L'Estrange Corbet. "It's a great shame for New Zealand."

                 "Outrageous," replied Karen Walker. "Trade NZ's
                 function is to assist people beginning to export. To get
                 two seasons of support is extraordinary and very lucky."
                 That was also the attitude of Margi Robertson, of the
                 label Nom D, and Liz Findlay, of Zambesi. They are
                 sentiments not often heard even from successful
                 exporting manufacturers here, who seldom miss an
                 opportunity to argue for Government assistance, usually
                 by comparing our "hostile climate for business" to the
                 state favours available elsewhere. 

                 New Zealand hasn't the means to match every bounty or
                 tax break that an exporter finds available to a
                 competitor. And it has been wary of providing direct
                 supports for fear that recipients would come to rely on
                 them. Now that a Government has come to office with
                 promises of more active industry assistance, it needs to
                 design its programmes so that beneficiaries do not
                 expect help for an indefinite time. 

                 The most this country can afford is even-handed
                 assistance to those starting out, as has been provided
                 for about 2000 of New Zealand's 8000 exporters,
                 according to Trade NZ. The now well-known New
                 Zealand names at Sydney this week are evidence that a
                 little strategic help can go a long way. 

                 The designers were the talk of the season at London
                 last year. Since then they have toured the fashion
                 capitals such as Tokyo and New York. This week there
                 are 10 New Zealand designers at the Australian show.
                 The better known now have shops in Sydney and
                 Melbourne and one or two have agents in New York.
                 They are independent, outward-looking people who, for
                 the first time at the Australian fair, could not agree on a
                 national stand this year. 

                 They turned down assistance for a combined New
                 Zealand stand and exhibited in their own ways. While
                 that might not help the newer participants yet to make
                 their name, it is natural that a globally competitive brand
                 outgrows a national image. As long as New Zealanders
                 own and nourish the designs, the brand is unlikely to
                 lose its nationality. In all arts, national character need
                 not be a conscious expression to be apparent. 

                 The important thing is that a world-class design industry
                 can develop here, along with supporting industries such
                 as dyeing, printing, pleating and trimming, of the
                 international standard required. Exposure has forced
                 elements of the apparel industry to change their game
                 and there are warnings in that for a Government that has
                 recently frozen tariff reductions. 

                 There is also a lesson for the underwriting of export
                 payments and other forms of support the Government
                 has promised. Trade NZ's careful assistance, for a
                 definite purpose and a limited period, has shown how
                 New Zealand can do it.

Auckland must pay for its rail

                 09.06.2000 - 

                 Auckland is pushing its luck to expect that national
                 taxpayers will pay all of the $65 million agreed with
                 Tranz Rail for access to its Auckland tracks. Mayor
                 Christine Fletcher argues that the expense should
                 properly fall entirely on the nation because it was the
                 previous Government that gave an 80-year lease of the
                 tracks to Tranz Rail when it sold the railways. The
                 Government just might welcome an obligation that can
                 be blamed on a previous asset sale but taxpayers
                 should not buy it. 

                 They do not need very long memories to know that the
                 sale of New Zealand Rail came as a blessed relief.
                 Under state ownership the railways lost money year
                 after year and regularly had to be recapitalised for sums
                 that usually far exceeded $65 million. Rail seemed to be
                 in terminal decline when, to general surprise and
                 delight, the Government managed to sell it. 

                 An 80-year exclusive lease of the tracks, for the nominal
                 sum of $1, was part of the deal and it is not hard to see
                 why. Railways require maintenance. If the state was to
                 retain ultimate ownership of the track without the bother
                 of maintainance, it had to offer the operator a sufficiently
                 attractive lease. It is easy to be wise in hindsight but
                 seven or eight years ago there was no reason to
                 imagine anybody else might want to run a railway on
                 the Auckland tracks. 

                 There were rapid rail and light rail schemes gathering
                 dust on local body shelves but their expense had
                 always been forbidding and seeemed likely to remain
                 so. The only mistake made by the previous Government
                 was a failure to foresee the rapid success of its reform
                 of Auckland regional government. 

                 About the time that it was selling the railways it was
                 carving up the Auckland Regional Council into a rump
                 body for planning and purchasing public services and a
                 stand-alone trust to run the services. The trust's
                 business included the port, which generated enough
                 revenue to wipe out the regional debt rapidly and begin
                 amassing a substantial fund. It is only the creation of
                 that fund that has prompted Auckland local bodies to
                 seek access to the railway. 

                 They have gained control of the fund, through a nominee
                 board, Infrastructure Auckland, and aim to establish an
                 integrated public transport system probably
                 incorporating a light rail loop. In short, Auckland is flush
                 with funds, largely thanks to a trust conceived in
                 Wellington, and it will seem a bit rich beyond the
                 Bombay Hills that the region now wants taxpayers to
                 pay Tranz Rail's ransom. 

                 Competitive tendering for public transport, required by
                 law, surely does not mean that companies with a
                 strategic stake must allow rivals to use their property.
                 Tranz Rail has its own proposals for extending Auckland
                 passenger services and may still bid for Infrastructure
                 Auckland funds. The reason that regional leaders have
                 been anxious to negotiate an access agreement is that
                 they probably prefer light rail. 

                 If that is so, it is as well they face the cost of asserting
                 their preference over the commercial judgment of those
                 who own and run a railway. The pity is that the deal
                 they have done will pay for rights to the track even if, in
                 the end, a Tranz Rail scheme is adopted. That may
                 strike taxpayers as ludicrous. 

                 But in principle costs should be faced by those who
                 receive the benefit. Taxpayers wrongly subsidise
                 Wellington's suburban rail services and two wrongs don't
                 make a right. If light rail is the system Auckland prefers,
                 Auckland should pay for it.

Editorial: Quest for answers on Cup expenses 
 
04.09.2000 - 
The Viaduct Basin development is such a splendid addition to the Waitemata waterfront that Aucklanders might consider it 
good value at almost any cost. Nevertheless, they would like to know the cost - the full cost at the present value of the 
asset, not on the basis of speculation about what the yacht base might be worth by the time of the next America's Cup. 
The Herald has obtained documents which suggest that Infrastructure Auckland, the body responsible for the public 
money invested in the basin, has accepted a valuation of $29 million for the marina and syndicate bases still in public 
ownership. On the basis of that valuation we made an assessment of the overall loss of public equity in the development. 
The figure has been fiercely challenged by the company that Infrastructure Auckland set up to manage the investment, 
America's Cup Village Ltd. 
The company values the property at $40 million, a figure accepted by its auditors and now, it appears, by Infrastructure 
Auckland. That figure is based on estimates of earnings from the yacht base over the next three years. The revaluation 
was questioned by the board of Infrastructure Auckland in June, but appears to have been accepted as an "estimated 
realisable value." 
Yet some time earlier, when the renewal of syndicate leases was being negotiated, the Infrastructure board accepted the 
lower valuation - $29 million - for the purpose of setting leases at a level that would give a sufficient return on the public 
investment. Obviously the lower the valuation, the lower the rent that syndicates need to be charged in order to produce 
the required return. 
So the answer to the question people often ask, "Exactly how much did the America's Cup end up costing us?" remains a 
matter of argument. But the $29 million valuation still looks to us the more credible figure. That is the value that those 
managing the asset believe its earnings can sustain. It is hard to see how those earnings will have boosted the Viaduct's 
value to $40 million three years hence, particularly when the company managing the asset somehow lost $9.5 million 
during the Cup regatta last summer. 
The loss on the event has yet to be satisfactorily explained. At the time, America's Cup Village Ltd blamed the public for 
coming to the Viaduct to look but not to buy from the kiosks and services at the basin. But the major sponsorship deal, 
with American Express, seems to have turned very sour too. There are questions that need to be answered over that 
deal, and there can be no justification for commercial secrecy now. The event is over, and Infrastructure Auckland will not 
be running the next one. 
The company that next receives the contract to run the on-shore event in conjunction with the America's Cup might learn 
much from full public disclosure of the mistakes made last summer. It is not just that the shore organisation lost money, 
but that it did not always engage the public as it could have done. The crowds that thronged the basin to greet the victors 
could have been given more than a fleeting glimpse of them. 
It is a pity the questions left by the Cup have not been quickly answered to everyone's satisfaction. The Cup Village won 
deserved acclaim, and the successful defence raised the national spirit to such heights that a full financial accounting 
would have been received with hardly a murmur. But the longer we must try to make sense of incomplete disclosure, the 
more concern grows. 

 
Warning: this label is harmless

                 08.07.2000 - 

                 Somewhere in the vast expanses of the Gobi Desert or
                 the sun-scorched wastes of the Kalahari there may be
                 tribes who have yet to appreciate the risks associated
                 with tobacco and alcohol. If so, they will have missed
                 one of the more all-embracing messages of recent
                 times. 

                 The message can hardly have escaped the notice of
                 any New Zealander. Campaign after campaign has
                 warned of the perils of excessive alcohol consumption,
                 especially applied to drink-driving, and the cancerous
                 potential of cigarettes. Yet a quarter of New Zealanders
                 still smoke and the vast majority still drink alcohol, if
                 only in moderation. Such is the annoying and irrational
                 reality for those who believe people need only a nudge
                 to abandon indulgences they know are harmful. 

                 One such well-meaning prod is the warning signs that
                 adorn cigarette packets. If the number of smokers
                 continues to increase, pump up the size of the label.
                 That, along with a Maori translation of the warning, was
                 one of the anti-smoking devices advanced by the
                 previous Government. Unsurprisingly, it has not worked.
                 Smokers have heard the message many times. They
                 have seen it portrayed far more graphically. Labels
                 hardly rate as a deterrent. 

                 This seems to count for nothing with those campaigning
                 to have warning labels placed on alcohol bottles and
                 cans. It appears also not to matter that cigarettes do
                 not represent a valid precedent. Consumption of
                 tobacco is potentially dangerous at any level, even
                 passive smoking. Alcohol, however, is safe to a certain
                 level. It may even have health benefits, particularly for
                 the middle-aged and elderly who suffer from heart
                 trouble. 

                 And, of course, the young, those most at risk from
                 excessive drinking, will, in their bullet-proof brashness,
                 be the least likely to heed warning signs. This
                 recognition, however frustrating, has rightly persuaded
                 the Australia New Zealand Food Authority that it is
                 pointless for alcohol to follow cigarettes' lead. 

                 Fortunately, the Government's new anti-smoking policy
                 is about more than the pursuit of the ineffectual. A $6
                 million programme offering smokers subsidised nicotine
                 replacement therapy takes pride of place. Previously,
                 only pilot programmes have dabbled in this area. That
                 approach is now considered too timid. The
                 Government's initiative will see moderate to heavy
                 smokers able to obtain a four-week supply of nicotine
                 replacement therapy for the price of one packet of
                 cigarettes. The unsubsidised cost would be $125. 

                 Experience in countries such as Australia suggests this
                 approach will have a bigger and more cost-effective clout
                 than warning signs or anti-smoking advertising
                 campaigns. 

                 But just how effective? Again, the crusty realities of
                 human nature await the overly optimistic. Would not
                 those most determined to stop smoking have already,
                 on their own initiative, tried replacement therapies? The
                 remedy has been promoted long and hard as the most
                 successful way to quit. And the expense was not that
                 great, given the costs, real and potential, of the
                 addiction. 

                 It could be that a subsidised programme will attract
                 mainly those of lesser resolve - and greater inclination
                 to failure. 

                 And, of course, the programme will have little impact on
                 the growing number of teenage smokers. Generation
                 after generation, we keep hearing the message. And we
                 keep ignoring it.

Church deals with ancient history

Contrition is one of the sacred rites of Roman Catholicism, so it is 
surprising that Pope John Paul's prayer on Sunday
for forgiveness of events spanning a millennium should be the first time a 
leader of the Church has sought such a
historic pardon. Yet reports from the Vatican suggest that the Church, 
holding a "day of forgiveness" to mark its Holy
Year 2000, was making an unprecedented gesture.
The Church asks to be forgiven "for divisions among Christians, for the use 
of violence that some Christians used in
the service of the truth and for diffidence and hostility sometimes towards 
followers of other religions." The Church's
much-used phrase, "violence in the service of the truth," has covered 
literally a multitude of sins, from the Crusades to
the Inquisition and the forced conversions of early colonialism.
It is futile, of course, to forgive occurrences so far in the past. 
Historical apologies, something of a conceit of our
times, have little to do with history and everything to do with the 
present. Little attempt is made any more to
understand the outlook of a bygone era and the intentions behind events. 
History has been turned into a morality tale
for today, in which people of the past cannot possibly measure up to the 
concerns of here and now, just as we would
fall short of a few standards they held dear. But so long as it is 
recognised that apologies serve present purposes, not
balanced history, they may do no harm.
The Church's purpose, as stated by the Pope last Sunday, is to "purify" its 
memory so as to move forward. It sees
the millennium as a chance to put the past behind and start afresh. It 
admits to "sins" in the service of the truth, sins
against Christian unity, against
Jews, against respect for love, peace and cultures, against the dignity of 
women and minorities and against human
rights.
Though John Paul spoke at length about the mistreatment of Jews through the 
ages, Jewish leaders are disappointed
that there was no direct mention of Rome's failure to condemn the Holocaust 
as it was happening. Likewise,
homosexuals had hoped for specific acknowledgment of intolerance they have 
endured. But overall the Church has
made a comprehensive admission and gives an indication of its future moral 
bearings.
Many will be disappointed that the moral update has not altered the 
Church's attitude to abortion. Far from modifying
his view, the Pope has sought special forgiveness for Christians' failure 
to defend the defenceless " especially in the
first stages of life."
Similarly, there is nothing in the contrition about past attitudes to women 
and minorities that suggests women are
about to be admitted to the most sacred role in Catholic liturgy. It is 
still the Church of Pope John Paul II and the statement from the Holy See on Sunday will 
merely confirm that fact to many of the faithful. They will look to his successor for a 
better indication of the Church's direction in the 21st century.
But there is a valuable place in society for an institution that has proven 
remarkably impervious to the fashions and pressures of modern thinking. The Church has 
held fast to some guiding principles, such as the sanctity of human life, the dignity of the 
person and the permanence of marriage.
Ancient cruelties and corruption have always been invoked by those who would rather 
not hear the Church's voice on social issues. If nothing else, the Sunday confession may 
be invoked in reply, and discussion can turn to the future.

 Report system can save lives

The benefits of formal reporting and inquiry systems for accidents are 
readily apparent, no matter what the workplace.
Investigation of a blunder identifies what went wrong and, more 
importantly, what should be done to prevent a
recurrence. It is difficult to think of spheres of activity that have not 
embraced the principle. The one glaring example,
until now, has been the health system. The existence of this exception 
borders on the incomprehensible, given that a
human life is often the cost of medical misadventure.
It speaks volumes for the culture of secrecy that pervades the health 
sector that the Health Funding Authority is only
now drawing up a mandatory reporting system for "sentinel" medical blunders.
In the absence of a consistent requirement to report and investigate 
accidents or system failures, whistle-blowers and
the media have had to act as surrogate vehicles of disclosure. A Herald 
inquiry, for example, led to the full disclosure of
Dr Michael Bottrill's failure to correctly read cervical smear slides. A 
number of health agencies knew of the problem
but were not obliged to report it.
Outrage over the Gisborne scandal has belatedly prompted the authority to 
act. A sector so divorced from normal
practices of transparency and public accountability can hardly be 
surprised. The authority must now ensure that its
mandatory reporting system does not become a cloak under which examples of 
medical misadventure are concealed
from public scrutiny.
Popular confidence will be regained only when errors are revealed, and 
medical staff shoulder responsibility.
In other sectors, such steps lead to a safer working environment. In the 
health system, the benefit lies in lives saved.

Save our gracious Queen

Of course, the word of Auckland mayor Christine Fletcher and friends that 
there was no republican political motivation
for the night removal of the Queen's portraits must be accepted. They were obviously at a 
loose end in the evening so decided on a little politically correct, civic duty to while away 
the time.
Apart from the perceived insult to our Head of State, the timing of this action is 
reminiscent of Russia's post-revolutionary KGB.
Well, I'm not politically correct, so as one of Auckland's increasingly disenfranchised 
ethnic majority I urge the mayor and councillors to put the portraits back.
G. Duddin.  Onehunga
Well done, Christine Fletcher and some other members of the Auckland City 
Council in removing the old and dated
portraits of Mrs and Mr Windsor. It is about time that the old trappings 
of colonial New Zealand were dumped. Of
course, there were the predictable screams of "treachery" from Radio 
Pacific's John Banks yesterday.
It is a pity more organisations do not follow the councillors' lead, 
starting with the Auckland Easter Show.
Paul Warner.  Papatoetoe.
 What to hang at the council? Mayor Fletcher and the Metrowater directors 
- by their ankles.  Peter Simpson. 
Takapuna.
Why not replace the outdated portraits of the Queen with more modern 
pictures? I agree the old pictures are tacky.
The council should put up a picture of the Maori Queen or a chief as well as a new one of 
Queen Elizabeth. This would show unity between the cultures.
J. Clare. Ellerslie.
Wow! The Auckland City Council actually made a decision. What a coup. 
After weeks of planning, a daring midnight raid was made on old photographs.
What heroes we have in the council and, what's more, they intend to plug the now-vacant 
space with a nice politically correct picture for us to admire.
The mayor has once again hedged her bets by telling us that she may be for the Queen but 
not "that" old photograph.
I suppose our council chose Commonwealth Day weekend for their courageous act of 
defiance as a sort of symbolic snook directed at the 300 souls who celebrated 
Commonwealth Day at Holy Trinity Cathedral on Sunday.
C. Barradale. Remuera.

Executioners should be haunted forever
The forensic tests done on vital hair strands in a 78-year-old Australian rape and murder 
case - in which innocent Colin Ross was convicted and hanged must send another chilling 
message to the death rows of the United States and to those who wield the awesome 
power of justice, mercy and life over them.
A single wrongful execution should forever haunt those who administer punishment and 
clemency, such as Governor Geordie W. Bush, whose state's thriving lethal-injection 
machinery is run under a cloud of reasonable doubt.
Rob Buchanan. Kerikeri.

What should be hung on the council chamber wall are Christine Fletcher and her cohorts.
The issue of monarchy v republic can, and should be, debated but Mrs 
Fletcher's actions in attempting to obtain her
ends by unilateral action are worthy only of a totalitarian government.
As to the pictures being outdated, this is irrelevant. Short of erecting 
new images on an
annual basis they, will always be, except for a brief period, out of date.
As to what should hang on the walls, this is the decision of the Auckland 
ratepayers made through their
democratically elected representatives in open forum and not to be achieved by fait 
accompli by a small band with their own barrow to push.
Derek Spender. Howick.
It is my understanding that these pictures were presented to the people of 
Auckland by their Majesties. Is this any
way to treat a gift? Who intends paying for the replacement "art" to be hung in their 
place? Let me guess? The long-suffering, ever-paying ratepayers.
As a ratepayer I am tired of our councillors making decisions which cost us unnecessary 
expenditure.
Jean Paton.  Waterview.
The mayor and her cohorts could always replace the pictures of the Queen 
with portraits of prominent republicans like Pinochet, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Idi Amin, 
Saddam Hussein, Castro, Mengistu, Obote or Rabuka. Other people could no doubt add 
to the list.
We should know the names of those councillors who complained about the 
portraits. We will need to be reminded of them nearer to the next election.
K.M. Findlay. Oranga.
The pictures of the Queen should have come down years ago and been replaced 
by paintings from New Zealand artists, but not Colin McCahon
Marian Walker.  Torbay.
I would like to suggest that the Auckland City Council chamber walls be adorned with 
pictures of significant buildings and social achievements by the council. This will enable 
it to put on display what has been achieved by the council.  Clint Belcher.  Wellington.

Unite the nation in petrol-station boycott

Petrol prices have risen again. Consumers are complaining about the rises 
but what are they doing about it? Why
don't we, as a nation, boycott petrol stations on two days of each week.
Tuesdays and Thursdays would cause the least problems to the public without 
interfering with the weekend needs.
The boycott would include everything from the stations - petrol, food, 
drinks, cigarettes, other convenience-type products and so on.
With the absence of consumers twice a week the petroleum companies would 
soon realise that the customers have
had enough with these ad hoc price increases.
Richard Harte. Pokeno.
Maori compensation
How much longer is this Maori nonsense to be tolerated? It is time Maoridom 
faced facts. The early Maori were
immigrants - they drove the earlier inhabitants off the land and settled 
where they pleased. They have never owned
any land in this country and are not entitled to the ridiculous amounts of 
money they are demanding.
If some compensation is approved, it should be the value of the land in the 
1800s, not today's inflated value. I wonder
how many of today's Maori would enjoy the living conditions of their 
ancestors?
Isn't Maoridom lucky that European civilisation came here, otherwise tribal 
warfare and cannibalism would have
considerably depleted the Maori race.
 Oh, for a Government with enough courage to
 stop this nonsense before it is too late and this
country is ruined.  R. Browne.
Hamilton.
Programme quality
Helen Clark has got it right by postponing funding for digital technology 
for TVNZ, wanting the company to focus first
on responsibility to its shareholders, the New Zealand public.
Integrity and impartiality will be brought back to reporting and 
programming if the broadcaster is not driven by ratings.
For 9c a day from each taxpayer, every Australian has access to one of the 
best unbiased-non-commercial radio and
television networks in the world, the ABC (including the excellent youth 
network, Triple J).
To have a commercial-free oasis on free-to-air is extremely refreshing. Where do you 
think fabulous programmes like SeaChange, Wildside and Frontline come from? These 
are some of the high-calibre programmes produced for or by the ABC.
Emphasis should be placed back on to programming and production quality and the state 
broadcaster should lead the way.
Nigel Scott. Tauranga.
Airport shares
To those councillors who don't think it is a good time to sell the airport 
shares, can they also tell me which numbers
will win Lotto on Saturday?
Their decision not to sell relegates them to sharemarket investors or 
speculators as opposed to councillors with a plan for our city.
Within the strategic plan, 60 per cent of Aucklanders supported the sale of 
these shares.
A strip of tarmac in Manukau City is not "family silver." I agree with our mayor; a 
meaningful beginning to a public transport solution is a much more relevant and 
necessary investment.
While these councillors do not trust themselves with these sorts of decisions we will 
continue to slip further behind as a city prepared to, and able to, manage any growth and 
the exciting prospects that arise from such growth.
Ange Marshall. St Marys Bay.
Australian view
Congratulations are due to Helen Clark for making a clear statement to 
Australia about New Zealand's position on
several important interests.
The Australian patriarchal society is not ready for New Zealand women 
prime ministers. Superficial impressions do
not indicate how historically, culturally and socially New Zealand is 
different to Australia. At best, New Zealand is treated with patronising tolerance and, at 
worse, disdain by Australia. 
It is something to do with Australia's "wannabe" attitude but it is insecure because it 
knows it can't.
To suggest Australia can defend itself, let alone defend New Zealand, is 
nonsense. That's why it has been a United
States' lapdog for so long. Last year on manoeuvres, a 37-year-old New 
Zealand Hercules submarine-chaser sank an
Australian Collins submarine, the product of Australian defence ingenuity.
All five subs (at a cost of $6 billion) are now sitting in dock as a 
defence liability. Australia has a hide to suggest we should get involved in their defence 
bungling.
Lindsay A. Green. Rockhampton.
Time to turn off
I am glad the television licence has been scrapped. I would hate to think 
my fee was going to make rubbish like The Life And Times of Te Tutu.
R. McDonald. Hamilton.
Reserve Bank policies
Your correspondent Adrian Orr took a defensive position on behalf of the 
Reserve Bank when addressing criticisms of
the bank's performance raised by Professor Tim Hazledine.
The policies being applied by the bank may well have been successful in 
other countries. This does not mean that
they are appropriate for New Zealand with its open economy and high degree 
of dependence on external markets.
The new Reserve Bank Act introduced 10 years ago stabilised inflation, 
but it also led to major problems with the way our economy functions. We
would make more progress on resolving these difficulties if the Reserve Bank could 
move out of defensive mode and start engaging in a more open-minded examination and 
discussion of the issues.
Peter Whitmore. Panmure.

Letters to the editor
South Africans feel betrayed

How could Charlie Dempsey do it? Does he not recognise the damage he 
has 
done to South African sport by denying
the country the World Cup?
He should recognise how shocked we are that New Zealand is to blame and 
that he has badly damaged New Zealand
in the eyes of South Africans.
New Zealand should have been keen to support another country in the 
Southern Hemisphere rather than abstaining
and ensuring that Germany got the finals. The Northern Hemisphere 
countries 
have had the giant's share of these
major world events for far too long.
If Mr Dempsey had any doubts about South Africa's ability to host the 
World 
Cup, he need only to have looked back a
few years to the rugby World Cup. Now we have been denied our chance to 
put 
on an even better show.
Richard Harvey. East London.
I am sure that we speak for most South Africans when we express our 
outrage 
that Mr Dempsey, a New Zealander,
has prevented South Africa winning the right to stage the 2006 World 
Cup.
Has Mr Dempsey any idea of how important this event would have been to 
South Africa? It would have been a tremendous boost to our country's 
most popular sport, and to South Africa in general.
We would have thought New Zealand would have recognised that it had far 
more common ground with South Africa
than Germany.
Yet despite our long tradition as rugby rivals, Mr Dempsey's abstention 
has 
handed the finals back to Europe yet
again.
Jack and Sarah Thompson. Cape Town.
Cameras don't lie
In television they say the cameras don't lie. Our appearance on the 
popular 
programme Location Location has done us a world of good. Before 
agreeing to be featured we knew the risks. If we came across poorly, we 
would have had to
put up with the consequences. We, like most, are professional real 
estate 
salespeople with nothing to hide.
Lynda Turley and Steve Koerber.  Remuera.
Pearse's achievement
Bill Keir of Kaikohe is confused as to the meaning of the word flight.
Richard Pearse built a powered machine in his backyard shed and he 
lifted 
off the ground to fly for several hundred
metres before dropping into a nearby gorse bush.
Yes, in 1903 he did not have the steering worked out. He could not 
control the flight. But he did fly.
What record books does Mr Keir refer to? We all know that Scientific 
American did not send a reporter to the small dot of Upper Waitohi at 
the bottom of New Zealand at the bottom of the 
world in March 1903. It has taken many years
of detailed research by a few dedicated individuals to get to the 
truth.
Forget old record books, stop saying that the Wright brothers were 
first. 
Repetition does not make it correct.
Many New Zealanders know that Pearse was the first man in the world to 
lift a machine off the ground and into the air.
That is my definition of flight. That is what should be in the history 
books. We need to get this correct before the
centenary of Pearse's flight in 2003.
Sherry Ede. - Devonport.  
Birthday contrast
"The United States marked its 224th birthday ... with picnics and 
parades 
in towns and cities around the country. In
Washington, thousands of tourists flocked to the National Mall ... to 
have 
picnics and watch a parade. In New York,
150 ships, boats, and frigates from 150 countries took part in a naval 
parade, at the end of which was ... a grandiose
show of fireworks." So reported the Herald.
In contrast, New Zealand celebrates its so-called birthday with violent 
protest and vociferous complaining. New Zealanders, in particular those 
of European heritage, have nothing to celebrate.
Instead we are reminded of how guilty we are and told to feel ashamed 
of being New Zealanders.
Americans are, in general, a proud, patriotic bunch and every July 4 
the news stories are the same. Racial 
tensions are put aside and everybody indulges
in a spot of harmless flag-waving. It is the major event of the year 
and is 
much anticipated by nearly all.
Most New Zealanders think of February 6 with a sense of dread about 
what embarrassment lies in store for the nation this time.
By all means continue to observe February  6 as Waitangi Day but the 
time for a true New Zealand Day is long overdue.
Surely, there must be one day in our history that all of us can 
celebrate 
with some pride. Many would agree that April
25 has much more significance as a true "national" day. Let's stop 
talking about it and do it - the sooner the better.
Edward Roggeveen. Browns Bay.
In defence of elitism
In this appalling society of egalitarianism and mediocrity, anyone 
accused 
of being elitist should take pride in that
honorific.
It is a tragedy of the national character that in a country so endowed 
with 
natural beauty, imaginative, innovative and
creative People we should also be unable to accept those cultural, 
economic, educational  or social successes without labelling them 
elitist.
The word has come to denote derision, something to be ashamed of and 
anti-social and something to cringe from. Its
true meaning is "choice or best part."
Should we not all strive for, and be proud to, achieve the choice or 
best 
part? We should all be proud to be elite if it means we have achieved 
social, cultural, economic, academic or any other 
sort of excellence and success.
We should aim to be a nation of the elite.
Allan Spence. Remuera.
The trouble with boys
There seems to be considerable concern that boys are doing poorly in 
school compared with girls, and that bullying
has become so prevalent and severe that there is even talk of closing 
down an all-male school.
Have our educationalists not taken into account that the game of rugby 
is 
almost synonymous with God in New
Zealand?
Rugby is a violent game, and the All Blacks are looked upon as heroes. 
Even very little boys playing rugby matches
in bare feet are urged on by their parents to "get him" or "kill him."
It is hardly surprising that teenage boys emulate their heroes through 
violence, and that boys are afraid to admit to
liking such things as reading, art or music, because they become a 
target for bullies.
Sadly, our great musicians, artists and writers so often have to go 
overseas to achieve success. It might be a good
thing if we all became less fixated on rugby and sporting heroes.
Pippa Coulston.  Tauranga.
There has been real concern about the welfare of boys lately, and with 
reason. They are not doing very well at school (at least not in the 
"wussy" subjects such as art and English), they have a very high 
suicide and accident rate, and
so on and on. Add to this that an overwhelming majority of those in 
prison are men, and we cannot help but perceive
a problem.
I'm not so naive as to think that the cause-and-effect factor is 
necessarily simple, but let's try this observation: why
are girls, by most counts, cleverer, more sensitive and more peaceful?
Look at any newspaper or news broadcast. What do you see the men doing? 
Why, playing rugby, of course -
battering each other to the adulation of the crowds. When you want to 
show a cosy picture of fatherhood, the fathers
are teaching their sons to give and receive a level of violence that 
would be criminal in any other arena. And arena is
a good word.
At planned and predictable times, boys and men of all ages get together 
to commit violence on each other. And
everybody cheers.
Heroic girls, on the other hand, play the swift, skilful and non-
violent 
game of netball.
At school, it often matters little if a boy can write or paint or draw. 
A few wander around each day without even a pen, waiting for the after-
school match. It's
enough if they can play the most violent, vainglorious game since the 
gladiators.
The heroism they see is the heroism on the field, and, for many, rugby 
is 
the only apparent road to success. Just
what lessons are we teaching them?
Diane Percy. Freeman's Bay.
Hypocrisy over Todd
Mark Todd is being ostracised for drugtaking. Alcohol and marijuana are 
both drugs that alter the performance of the
user. It follows, then, that all MPs and others in public office, or 
who 
are prominent in our society, should qualify for
testing. It is hypocritical otherwise.
Booze in all its forms is responsible for thousands of accidents 
causing death or injuries on our roads every year, but has become 
"acceptable" because most people "indulge."
I do not condone Todd's alleged drugtaking, but I say leave him alone 
and 
stop throwing stones until the holier-than-thous get their own houses 
in order.
A. E. Symons.  Tauranga.
So, the New Zealand Olympic chiefs suspect Mark Todd enjoyed some 
cocaine. 
And his keeping mum is enough to
hang him.
But how will they explain to the children
I mean, what message does it send? But
it's true. Winners do use drugs.
Then again, maybe drugs aren't the great big bogeyman prohibitionists 
want you to believe they are.
Richard Marchese.
Fairfield, New Jersey.
Crudity unnecessary
First it was the "b" word, courtesy of Toyota. Now Vodafone has decided 
to follow that example of vulgarity by
incorporating the "s" word in a Warriors advertisement. Amusing? I 
think not.
It is just another illustration of the lowering of standards of some in 
the 
advertising world and their inability to create
entertaining and original advertisements without resorting to crudity.
Adele Pullen.  Manurewa.
Plea for free Tibet
Please can everyone help the Tibetans, because the Tibetans are being 
hurt 
by the Chinese for nothing. Please help
Tibet to be free and make the Chinese let the monks and other Tibetans, 
who 
they put in jail for nothing, get out of jail
and be free.
And make the Chinese give Tibet back to the Tibetans, then the Dalai 
Lama 
and other Tibetans can go home again.
The Dalai Lama is very good and very kind.
Lobsang Sherab (9). Avondale.
Aids and homophobia
In his diatribe against the Aids Foundation's homophobia campaign, J. 
Wallace claims that "homosexual bigots" are
trying to impose their "lifestyle" on others. However, the truth is 
that 
all gays and lesbians want is a bit of respect.
Respect helps people to live healthy, happy, open lives instead of 
being 
furtive, guilty and unsafe. How sensible, then,
that the foundation has decided to campaign against homophobia.
Claire Gummer. Blockhouse Bay.
Cheque clearing times
Regarding bank cheque clearing times, consider our case: we own a 
company 
and have both our company and
personal joint accounts with one bank (the ASB Bank) at one branch. 
From 
time to time I write a cheque to pay myself. This has to be done when 
we have plenty of funds in the company 
cheque account but since all cheques have
not cleared, the direct payment facility will not work.
My pay cheque is deposited at the same branch at which we have all of 
these 
accounts. The bank knows that we
have more than sufficient funds for the company and we must assume that 
I 
would not write myself a cheque and
then decide not to honour it. Why, I continually ask myself, does the 
bank 
insist on five working days to clear this
cheque?
S.A. MacDonald. New Lynn.
Pedestrian chaos
First it was eggs and now it is umbrellas at drivers who drive through 
pedestrians at lights. I have taken a swipe at a
car with an umbrella after having nearly been hit on a pedestrian 
crossing, 
and had the driver stopped, I would have been up for manslaughter with 
the weapon.
But the other side of the argument is the driver's plight. This can 
involve sitting at green lights because pedestrians
are still sauntering across the intersection. Then, if the light turns 
amber while no cars have been able to move and if
you sound your horn, out comes the one-finger salute, the swearing and, 
yes, the dreaded umbrella.
I experience this at Victoria and Queen Sts every day between 2 pm and 
4 pm. Years ago, there would have been traffic officers on these 
corners to make the pedestrians go back. That would not be a bad idea 
now.
Peter Rosby. Henderson.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEKEND
School rugby problems weighty  
I am forced write after reading your article on schoolboy rugby. I have 
two boys playing club rugby, one under 10
and one under 13, both in restricted weight grades.
  There have been many times this season when some boys in the 
opposition teams must have been heavier than the maximum weight for 
that grade.
As a result, my elder son's team is now two short because of broken 
arms in the past two games.
One boy broke both bones in his forearm when a much heavier opposition 
player fell on him during play. The other, broke his arm just below the 
ball joint of his shoulder when he 
was tackled by a heavier opposition player.
In that game it was obvious that the opposition players were bigger 
than our boys when they all lined up at the start.
My son is right on the weight restriction of 45kg and one of the 
biggest in his team, but he was dwarfed by some of the so-called same-
weight boys from the other team.
Surely the referee would have been able to see the difference.
 The Auckland Rugby Union in its wisdom does not have an under-12 
section this year, so boys who are only 11
years old are playing those who can be up to two years older. Why? 
As parents we should not have to wait for an ambulance to take our 
young 
boys to hospital, seeing them in pain and
unable to help because it's Saturday and the ambulance service is busy 
all around Auckland with. sporting Injuries
What I would love to see is a set of scales at every restricted-weight 
game, 
then all those cheats out there would have to think twice about 
fielding over-weight kids, and everyone would enjoy the game. Any club 
proved to be fielding an
over-weight team, in any grade, should then be fined.
I'm not some silly mum who can't handle what is supposed to be part of 
the, 
game of rugby, I am just a concerned
mum who does not want to see, these boys scared off playing what is 
essentially a great game.
S. K. Commetti. Howick.

 BREVITIES
I would love to be in Tame Iti's situation and be able to drop 
everything 
and breeze off to Fiji a couple of times a
month. Where, oh where, does he get the money?
M.B., Meadowbank.
What kind of model will Parekura Horomia be it he becomes Minister of 
Maori 
Affairs? We are told that one-third of all
Maori are dangerously obese.
I.S., Blockhouse Bay.
Kate Belgrave should be sent to her room until she learns to behave.
B.McC., Te Atatu North.
It would appear that an Olympic medal at all costs - never mind 
integrity 
and honesty - is the order of the day.
Hypocrisy rules.
D.A., Whakatane.
TV news is in a pretty sorry state when asking some casual passer-by in 
Queen St what he thinks about the Fiji
situation purports to be primetime news.
M.R.K., Tauranga.
So Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe have been seen out together and 
apparently 
held hands. Does this justify front-page
news in a prestigious, award-winning newspaper, particularly when 
weekend 
sections specifically cater for such trivia?
B.S., Takanini.
So there's to be a review of the price of a licence for the older 
driver. 
Perhaps I won't have to go to jail after all. I am
an unlicensed driver aged 75. No way will I pay $37.50 for a five-year 
licence while the rest of New Zealand pays $18
for life.
J.T.D., Whakatane.
Will the affidavit signed by future Labour ministers as to the lack of 
criminal activity in their past have the same
reliability as had the documents ensuring members stayed with the 
Alliance in the previous Parliament?
M.H., Ellerslie.
How many members of Parliament should be entitled to have the word 
"honourable" before their names? For most it would be a misnomer.
R.B., St Heliers.
It is to be hoped the city fathers disregard Andrew Krukziener's vision 
for 
the waterfront. His tower would be more at
home in one of the oil-rich Arab emirates.
D.W., Epsom.
If a central Administration cannot build a sound education system for 
our 
future generations, education should be
handed back to the people.
J.C., Rotorua.
Your photo of about 100 Tour de France cyclists was highly significant: 
of 
all the contestants, only three were not
wearing helmets. At last, perhaps, sporting role models.
JS., Torbay.

Reincarnation for pandas

Drivers have to believe that when they break the rules of the road, they 
are likely to get caught. That feeling has
diminished since black-and-white traffic patrol cars left our highways in 
1992. Even the police's issuing of a steadily increasing number of traffic infringement 
notices has been unable to 
shake drivers' perception that no one is watching them. That is a substantial impediment 
to forcing down the road toll and reason enough to applaud the return of specialist traffic 
patrolling. And to find the concomitant ditching of 
hidden speed cameras bamboozling.
The traffic police, unlike their predecessors, will not operate as a 
stand-alone agency outside the police. The taxpayer, it appears, will be spared the 
considerable expense of dual 
bureaucracies. It is to be hoped that traffic officers' inclusion in the law-enforcement 
hierachy also means they
will not be considered inferior to their police colleagues.
The power of deterrence suggests the presence of traffic police will 
improve driver behaviour. Just as logically, however, so would the widespread use of 
hidden speed cameras. Only a year ago, the police were singing that strategy's praises, 
saying a Waikato trial had lowered both the death 
toll and average speed. Now, the cameras are
said not to have worked. If such is the case, did they lose their 
effectiveness simply because motorists worked out
where they were being hidden? Most likely, the cameras are considered too 
much of a hot potato, especially because
of the fines they generate.
Their abandonment is a black mark for a Government supposedly committed 
to all measures that will lower the road
toll. Only the fear of being caught will slow speedsters And, like patrol 
cars, hidden speed cameras have a big role to play.

Clark has lost the plot

Prime Minister Helen Clark has completely lost the plot. She promised to 
sort out the public service and made dark
noises about Winz boss Christine Rankin. Miss Rankin is still there and 
now public service bosses are getting a pay
rise double that of ordinary workers.
Helen Clark promised our tax wouldn't go up. Then she put up the tax on 
fags and booze. The fag tax was passed off as improving the nation's health. But the 
Government's own revenue 
assumptions show no planned decrease in smoking as a result. And now it wants to 
legalise marijuana.
Miss Clark promised she would get tough on crime, then she branded our 
police a pack of racists. She moaned
about "high" unemployment - and after her first six months on the job 
even more people are out of work.
She wanted us to invade Indonesia when East Timor was in trouble. Now there's strife in 
Fiji and she does nothing. Trouble in Fiji, unemployment rising and a Prime Minister 
losing
their nerve and calling for a "cup of tea." Deja vu. It must be a Labour 
Government.
Matthew Parkinson. Remuera.
Basque Park vege garden
With reference to "Rudman's city," I have never been mighty, and it was 
no victory -- just a recommendation. All
views are valid, Rudman's no more than mine. Perhaps he only believes in 
consultation if it supports his views. In any
case the final decision on the use of Newton's Basque Park is with the 
community board.
The "sandal-wearers" were allowed to speak and did so some months ago. At 
this presentation the "Friends of
Basque Park," who oppose the gardens did not speak. I did not move that 
the "farm agreement be terminated and no provision made in the development plan" - it 
was a recommendation to the 
community board.
I do not oppose gardens in the inner-city. I oppose them in public reserves. The 
successful gardens overseas that I am aware of are on disused sites that are not public 
reserves.
Council officers are looking for such a site.
My recommendation was based on having heard both sides, then visiting the 
park. I was disappointed at the
unkempt, weedy and smelly gardens, concluding that they had no place in 
an inner-city public park. It seems the
community board and most residents agree. Auckland is not Rudman's city, 
or my city, it is ours.
Phil Raffills, Auckland City councillor.
Defence spending
David Eagles suggests petulance is the basis of the Government's F-16 
decision but history offers an alternative view. In the mid-19th century the soldiers of the 
tiny kingdom of Sardinia, who battled on 
foreign fields, proved to be of such high quality
that the House of Savoy ended up as ruler of a united Italy.
Air transport for New Zealand offers us a similar chance of status for, with big 
troopcarriers, we can send first-class
soldiers and first-class equipment to support the United Nations wherever 
the need arises.
The sabre-rattlers would have us believe that our slender and diminishing 
funds should be spent on buying some cast-off fighter aircraft, whereas in reality, a wiser 
shopping list would equip 
our soldiers with top-quality ground equipment
and the means to get them across the world on UN duties.
Dogfights and silken scarves, helmets and goggles have passed away like the 
longbow and the musket. Air transporters may well do for us what the soldiers of 
Sardinia did for the 
House of Savoy, and make our contribution to world order of significance and value.
Maurice McGreal.  Glenfield.
Internet censorship
I was amused to see that the Ministry of Health has upheld its laws against 
tobacco advertising by blocking access to a cigar Web page. Anyone with a dash of 
technical knowledge can bypass that restriction, but that's not the point.
If the Government is going to be consistent in its approach to the 
Internet, I suggest a few more restrictions. Marijuana is illegal so let's block access to all 
Websites that support its use. There are a lot of porn sites out there that would be classed 
objectionable so we'd better knock them out as well. 
That one might have some supporters.
In fact, let's block access to any Web page that supports any illegal 
activity. It's just as well we have taken such care
not to offend the Chinese lately - their tips on how to carry out these 
restrictions may come in handy.
Phillipa Devereux Guthrey.  Epson
Now how about a pay rise for our nurses?
So public service chiefs get a 6 per cent pay rise. Well, I'd like to know 
when the Government will award hard-working
hospital nurses a 6 per cent rise. They keep hospitals functioning, work 
shifts and holidays, nights and overtime. How
about a raise for the financial year ending on June 30?
It is no surprise that rest-homes and private hospitals cannot find 
registered nurses. It makes me angry that nurses
are so undervalued and underpaid. No wonder they are flocking overseas.
What with pay rises, performance bonuses, superannuation and other perks, 
these public service chiefs have received
a 20 per cent increase since 1997. I trust that Annette King and Helen 
Clark will see fit to redress the balance and give nurses the rewards they deserve. 
Josephine Wilson.
 Kohimarama.
Let's auction off the America's Cup
Now, we know Tom is doing a great job trying to sort out this America's Cup 
mess. But how can we possibly
compete with the big bucks being thrown at our top sailors and designers?
I have a plan. Let's put the Cup up for auction. That top Auckland real 
estate chap with his own television programme could be our sales agent. With what these 
foreign syndicates are prepared  to throw around on the off-chance of winning the Cup 
from us, why not put a reserve price of $US150 million on it. Even after Mr Real Estate 
takes his sales commission, we should have enough left over to fund our next two or 
three America's Cup challenges.
We'll be able to pay the going rates to retain our sailors and designers. 
We'll have the pleasure of sailing in the
exciting Louis Vuitton series of races, leading up to the America's Cup.
We won't have to worry about how we are going to maintain, let alone stop, 
the developers from selling off the Viaduct
Basin. And, when we win it back from the bored billionaire we sold it to, 
we once again get that fantastic, feel-good
experience, plus another big parade.
Ron Johnson. Panmure.
Echoes of Judas
 It is bad enough that Coutts, Butterworth and others are leaving for other countries but to 
think of them sailing against New Zealand reminds one of Judas selling his loyalty for 30 
pieces of silver.  Cynthia Hewett.  Cambridge.
Who is 'business'?
Since the election there has been mounting criticism of the new 
Government's policies from something or somebody
called "business."
Obviously we are all aware that we have to live by skillful and energetic 
trading. However, those engaged in making
profitable sales appear to believe, first that they are the most important citizens in the 
country and, secondly, that our country's laws should be made for their advantage and 
comfort. The Employment Contracts Act was passed by a Government fully aware of its 
injustice to poorer and inarticulate people.
And it is a scandal that the unemployment benefit was set below poverty 
level. As a result, dishonesty - despairing
dishonesty - is more common.
This is an issue which is worldwide and we shall need skill, respect and 
patience to reach a just solution. It will
involve New Zealand's best inventive skills. It's time for those who don't 
care or don't want to know to stand up and be counted.
Richard Easton. Waimauku.
What supporters of the Employment Relations Bill fall to understand is that 
the present level of wages paid to workers more or less represents the real (true) market 
value of New Zealand labour.
The moment we raise wages, scores of businesses will not be viable unless 
they can find cheaper labour - probably
overseas. The delicate balance of the economy will be lost and Bendon will be followed 
by many others. One does not have to have a degree in economics to understand what 
will that mean for all of us.
Although I operate a small business that provides jobs for several people, 
I never thought of myself as one of the
privileged few, as your correspondent Jonathan Mills described 
businesspeople. Not long ago, I was an employee myself, trying to get by on a lower-
than-avarege income. I was not happy 
with my lot, but instead of making
unrealistic demands I decided to improve it myself.
All I had to do was to find a business idea, invest my life's savings (for 
most of us it is the value of our home) in a venture in which there is no guaranteed return, 
-get more money from the 
bank, get the necessary licences, work 14 hours a day and sacrifice weekends and 
holidays.
Of course, I am financially better off now but for what other reason would 
anyone take on the risks, rigours and
responsibilities associated with running a business?
Ironically, the "privileged business elite" Mr Mills talks about is not 
going to be affected too much by whatever
legislation comes into effect. The affluent are welcomed and can live 
anywhere in the world. It is the majority.
including workers and small employers, who will be hurt by this bill.
Susanne Fellner. Titirangi.
Far-reaching bill
Labour's Attorney General Margaret Wilson is right. National, Act and NZ 
First MPs are wrong. They may label the
Property Relationships Bill a "gold-digger's charter," but many people's 
lives will be improved by this legislation.
 Property has nothing to do with traditional
 marriages sanctified by the church, but has
 everything to do with legal civil "marriage,"
 which is all about property rights under the law.
No citizen should be excluded from its protection.
Rather than putting people off committing to marriage or de facto 
partnerships the bill will  ensure that people think more seriously about making these 
commitments. This will enhance the status of "sanctified" marriage and the commitment 
to a de facto 
partnership, not erode them. The term "partner"
is entirely correct and reinforces the individual's autonomy and right to 
fair and equal treatment under the law.
Men will think twice about forming casual relationships or using women for 
their own ends. Who's been taking
advantage of "golden" opportunities until now?
M. Mildon.  Hamilton.
Marxist prophecy?
I'm sure Cathy Buchanan and Peter Hartley, the authors of the Dialogue page 
article on equality and fairness, did not
intend to present an exposition based on Karl Marx's prophecy that, in the 
higher phase of communism, society
would "inscribe on its banners: from each according to his abilities, to 
each according to his needs." But it certainly could be inferred.
Stephen Hume. Wellington.
No right to lecture Fiji
New Zealand is far too weak of a country to provide moral or political 
direction to a country such as Fiji which is going
through a crisis.
The Government of New Zealand has no international clout and the majority 
of the people are no better then sheep
who prefer to follow then lead.
Ram D. Singh. Victoria, British Columbia.

Bans on smoking draconian

The Government's campaign against smoking increasingly resembles an 
avalanche sweeping aside whatever stands in
its path. Discrimination has no place when such forces are unleashed. Thus, 
bars and pubs have now been included
among the places where smoking will be banned under planned smokefree 
legislation. They join restaurants, cafes
and school grounds, the areas originally singled out for blanket ban.
The reason for this late addition, according to the Minister of Health, is 
that it would be difficult to enforce a ban in restaurants and cafes if bars and pubs were 
not treated similarly. 
Presumably, Annette King has been swayed by
restaurant owners who also have bars on their premises.
She would have done better to listen to those who consider blanket bans 
unnecessarily harsh, especially in places of relaxation, as well as generally unworkable. 
There is a relatively simple 
solution. Those who wish to have smokers as clients should be able to partition them off 
in enclosed areas. This could apply to restaurants and bars alike, and also to sports clubs 
which, paradoxically for establishments which promote 
good health, have been granted an
exemption from the ban. Partitioning would not only be less draconian but 
also recognise mounting concern about the harmful effects of passive smoking.
The Government avalanche has also enveloped the tax on tobacco, lifting 
the cost of cigarettes by $1 a packet. That tactic is more understandable, if only because 
price rises have been an 
effective anti-smoking device. It would be far more palatable, however, if a percentage of 
the tax raised was dedicated to subsidising quit programmes. So far, only a pebble has 
been cast in that direction, while boulders bash away to far less purpose.

Letters to the Editor
Please help me, I'm hooked

I am angry at the Government for how it intends to stop consumers using a 
deadly substance. Instead of helping
consumers to break a deadly addiction by the use of subsidised remedies, it 
will increase its excise profits from the
addicted and, perhaps, stop the young from starting. In the meantime the 
addicted die and the Government gets rich.
I am led to believe that all consumed material, whether food, beverage or 
tobacco, has to meet a safety level before
the Government will allow these products to be consumed by its citizens, 
yet it does nothing to stop its citizens from being poisoned except to increase the price of 
tobacco, hoping to deter the 
addicted away from this poison through
financial extortion.
I have been a smoker for 10 years now and when I started I was told it was 
bad for me, but I assumed that the
Government would never allow the sale of such a deadly product. How wrong I 
was. Now I know I am killing myself
but my addiction is strong. Who will help me? I cannot.
I. Solleder. Bombay.
I was delighted to see your article about a proposed smoking ban in restaurants, bars and 
so on. I am greatly in favour of this proposal, especially in the climate we live in. There is 
no reason that a smoker needs to monopolise the air indoors, yet this is what happens.
We have all been in a restaurant (whether at a non-smoking table or not) 
and caught a whiff - or a dense cloud - of
cigarette smoke. That's not my idea of a welcome dinner companion. 
California has had a smoking ban in public facilities for years and when visiting I have 
been pleasantly surrounded by 
clean air while wining and dining.
Yes, smokers should have the choice to pay exorbitant amounts of money to 
shorten their lives, and I do not believe
this ban is taking that choice away. However, it is giving non-smokers an 
increased enjoyment of these
establishments as well. I can't wait to wine and dine in a smokefree zone 
soon.
S. Stannard. Mission Bay.
Successive governments' policy to increase the price of cigarettes has 
resulted in a dramatic increase in smoking among teens One recent
survey found more 40 per cent of fourth-formers smoked. The price of 
cigarettes could double and the price of one
cigarette would still be less than the cost of a can of coke. When they 
start smoking, one packet lasts two weeks.
The other principle that is driving teenage smoking is the forbidden fruit 
syndrome: if an authority figure tells you not to do it, it must be cool. This would explain 
why smoking rates have increased 
despite (or because of) state-sponsored
"don't smoke" campaigns.
Kerry Fore. Mt Eden.
How much deprivation will be suffered by children of low-income families 
whose parents do not reduce or stop
smoking?
I find it curious that minorities are apparently
chosen for boosting or bashing according to their political correctness. 
Since Auckland's traffic problem is a worry,
why not improve it by levying a draconian tax on petrol? Surely this also 
would provide added millions to the
Government's coffers, as does the tobacco tax.
If a ban on smoking in public establishments is laid, why exclude RSA and sporting 
clubs? There are devices which can remove smoke and other undesirable things from the 
air in buildings but nothing has been proposed about using them to protect everyone in 
such places.
Terry O'Meara.  Epsom.
I am blown away by the self-centred bleat from the smokers of the world 
at the increase in cigarette prices. The
statement on Holmes on Tuesday evening especially took me: "Why should 
non-smokers have rights and smokers
have none?" This is bizarre: I, as a non-smoker, have rights that are 
being ignored.
Until recently one could not walk through the main entrance to Auckland 
Hospital without going through the cloud of
smoke that all the smokers around the door gave off. The same applies to 
numerous building entrances in the city.
My civil rights are violated by my being subjected to passive smoking. As 
a consequence I have lung cancer. Non-
smokers, especially those who have contracted lung cancer, cannot expect 
to live their natural lifespan and it is not
our choice. We have a disease that is generally incurable and the treatment is horrible.
David Simm.  Tauranga.
Teen drinking habits
The Government feels the need to advise us parents to be more responsible 
for our children's drinking habits. What a
pity they didn't listen to these same parents when we pleaded with them 
not to lower the drinking age.
Why are we not surprised to find that, according to the latest statistics, even younger 
teens are now drinking to excess.
Helen Casey.  Paeroa.
How can you look for a job 40 hours a week?
Muriel Newman is trying to make the unemployed spend 40 hours a week 
looking for work. Dr Newman comes from Whangarei and I wonder if she could tell me 
how one would actively seek work 40 hours a week, every week, in a city which has few 
jobs and many unemployed.
They could call at every business in two or three days, then they would 
have to begin at the beginning again. Should they go singly, in small groups or en masse? 
After only a few weeks, how 
will potential bosses feel? They would be totally fed up and hoping never to see an 
unemployed person again.
But every week; maybe twice a week they'll all be back looking for a non-existent job - 
again, and again, and again. Dr Newman better get real
Patricia McGregor. Morningside.

More men could stay home with the kids

I was somewhat bemused by Sandy Burgham's comments in her Dialogue page 
column on Monday, in particular
about men who decide to stay home to look after the children.
More men should be encouraged to take this bold step and I know of quite 
a few men who wish to but cannot. My
husband chose to put his career on hold when we had our children. His decision enabled 
me to concentrate on mine
and paved the way for me to set up my own business.
 Our girls are now 8 and 6 and they are well aware of what their father 
has done (and still does) for them. They know
they are lucky to have a father who looks after them. With both of them 
at school now, he's working part-time and does a good proportion of the household 
chores.
It's also a heavy burden being a father.
 Lily Kok. Bucklands Beach.
Shared parenting
In response to Angela Paul's letter on Muriel Newman's shared parenting 
bill, the preferred shared custody is to be
50:50 and will not be enforced. In fact, parents will be allowed to reach a mutual 
agreement with a fallback position of 50:50.
Such legislation is in place in the United States and Australia is 
moving the same way. The legislation will also allow sole custody in the case of domestic 
violence with false 
allegations of domestic violence liable to a fine.
It would give a chance for some solo parents to get out and work for 
their living while the fathers
can have more input into their children - the way it should be.
P. Latoa. Taupo.
National to blame
Your correspondent Graeme Barlow has it completely wrong. He attacks the 
Labour Government for tearing down the historic fabric and value systems on which our 
society is based.
It was the previous National Government and its Act-like predecessor that did that. If Mr 
Barlow thinks about it, the only institutions that Helen Clark's Government has so far 
attacked are 
privilege, far-right ideology and paternalism.
It was National that tried to make all our institutions fit its 
free-market ideology. Plunket wasn't broke but National all
but fixed it into oblivion. Its Employment Contracts Act heavily tilted 
the industrial relations scene in the employers' favour. National was in the process of 
destroying our public health, housing and education systems and turning them over to big 
business.
The country needed Labour to reverse the rot.
Owen Saunders.
Birkenhead.
North Shore water ...
 Your columnist Brian Rudman is right to challenge local authorities to 
fully explain why we are proposing to increase water charges. He makes a fair point -
when he says that Watercare's 
increased bulk-water charge is not the only driver for North Shore City and other councils 
in the Auckland region to 
raise retail prices.
In North Shore's case, Watercare's wholesale price rise accounts for 
around one-fifth of our proposed 5 per cent
increase for the financial year starting on July 1. This equates to 
another $12 a year for the average household.
However, at $1.24 for 1000 litres, it remains one of the cheapest water 
tariffs in the region.
A far more significant contributor to our increase is properly funding 
depreciation to ensure that our 1153km water reticulation system keeps delivering A-
grade quality water to almost 70,000 North Shore homes and businesses. This involves 
putting more money aside now to renew our assets, including our 
water services infrastructure.
We have learned the lessons of the past through insufficient upgrading of 
our sewerage network and the costly repairs
we now face. We're paying more attention - and money - to look after our 
assets today. This water charge increase
will ensure our water network is kept up to date.
Jenny Kirk, Chairwoman, Strategy and finance committee.
... and Manukau water
The column Rudman's City headed "Watercare flak sometimes not deserved" contains a 
number of inaccuracies
relating to Manukau City Council
which require correction. The proposed increase of 4.5 per cent in 
2000-2001 will take the price for each 1000 litres to
$1.035 (including GST), not $1.16 as quoted in the article.
In the summary of the draft plan circulated to all households the 
increase is proposed to "fund the new Waikato water pipeline, an increase in backflow 
prevention activity and additional funding for system renewal and upgrades." The full
plan includes Watercare as one of the five reasons for the increase. This 
cannot be interpreted as blaming or
attacking Watercare.
Comparisons between retail and wholesale prices and those in 1992 are not valid. At that 
time the council's water budget was running at a loss, maintenance programmes were not 
at today's level and depreciation was not included. This last item on its own is 25c of our 
charge of 99c for each 1000 
litres.
The council does not make a profit from water supply. All revenue is used 
for operating costs or to improve the
system and the budget is subject to the detailed scrutiny of the councillors.
Paul Utting, General manager, Manukau Water.
Population 'crisis'
I would like to thank Moran L. Owens and G. Cox for their assistance in 
proving my point. Mr Owens contends that the required area to house the world's 
population would be the size of 
India; Mr Cox says it would be four times the size of Texas. Thus, using Mr Owens' 
calculation, there would be extra 
space in Asia, Europe, North and South
America, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
I live on 800 sq m with four other people. We could comfortably 
accommodate ourselves on 300 sq m less. Based on
Mr Owens' figures and giving each plot two or three people, well, I 
wonder what they would do with all the extra room? QED - no population crisis.
Grant Peck. Kelston.

Give me all your fags!

When we're flush with Waikato water …

Aucklanders are anticipating a reduction in water charges when the pipeline to the 
Waikato River is completed. The jokes in the Waikato area are that 
we will flush our toilets twice to give Aucklanders what they deserve.
I have found out by research that there is more in the river than meet the eye. It is noted 
that when Watercare Services treat water it looks at giardia, faecal coliform and 
sediment. Filters and chlorine treat these. Other toxic elements are not even looked for 
such as dioxins, PCB, nitrates, phosphates and heavy metals.
These toxins can result on dermal toxicity, immunotoxicity, carcinogenicity and adverse 
effects on reproduction, development and endocrine functions. Major sources of these are 
treated sewage discharges from towns and cities and
old landfills on the river edge. Treatment of sewage does not include these.
The river also contains leachate from the Horotiu landfill, which is pumped to the sewage 
treatment station then pumped into the river. Questions need to be asked of the Waikato 
councils, since they have known this since 1994 and maybe earlier. When visiting 
Auckland in the near future 1 will make certain I take my own water.
W.D. Cheyne, Chairman, Waikato Federated Farmers.
Feminist voices  pall  
As an elderly female, mother and grandmother I get tired of noisy feminist voices, such 
as Lynn Dempsey's, telling us 
that men "ride off into the sunset in full
possession'' of income and every other means of support for their deserted 
families.
As the years go by, one hears just as many stories of women who leave 
husbands and families for other pastures
and new partners. The new partner very often provides these women with a 
home and all comforts while the father has
to sell the former family home to hand over half the proceeds to the 
deserting wife, as well as provide for children left
behind by the woman's flight.
Never believe that men do all the "riding off into the sunset" - it just is 
not true.
A.P. Forster. Havelock North.
Women in business
We have in New Zealand the private sector and the public sector. It is the 
private sector that feeds the public sector
and provides it with the means to exist through the payment of taxes by 
individuals and companies.
While the role of Government originally was to protect our borders and the 
internal security of its citizens (the
protection of the individual's person and property), this role has altered 
significantly over the decades to include
intrusion into almost every facet of our lives.
I find it truly disturbing that the Prime Minister has vowed to legislate to force private 
companies to promote more women to senior positions. I could understand if she were to 
have said "encourage" more companies but to force companies by legislation is nothing 
short of dictatorship.
This proposed legislation is not only one more restriction on the rights 
of the people to run their businesses for the
maximum benefit of all concerned, it is insulting and demeaning to 
women. No longer will women feel confident that
they have succeeded on merit, but that they are a part of yet another 
quota system.
Marilyn Thomas. Sunnynook.
Praise for hospitals
Over the past few days my sister was admitted to ward 6D (intensive care) 
at Auckland Hospital and eventually to
ward 8 at Middlemore, where she was well-supported over her last hours.
My wife was also rushed to Middlemore Hospital recently and admitted to 
ward 10 where she stayed for four days.
Her treatment and the consideration to us was well beyond our expectations.
In both cases, and at all times, everyone from the receptionist, to 
nurse, to doctor, to specialist and registrar provided
exceptional courtesy and professional help to both patients and their 
families. We could not have asked for more.
We only hope that more restructuring in the health system builds on this 
level of service and that political bickering
does not interfere with this level of professionalism.
M. and R.J. Walker.  Bucklands Beach.
Gas bill goes up
We have just received our Contact Energy gas bill dated March 30, 2000. 
The "small print" advises that, effective from
May 1, new rates of 56c a day and 4.12c a kilowatt-hour will apply. This 
compares with 40c a day and 4.49c a kWh (all plus GST) and effectively means an 
increase of 10 per cent in the line charges and a 14 per cent decrease in the
energy component.
This is another case of consumers being clipped by monopoly lines 
companies. While the reduction in energy cost is
commendable, I am certain this will only be temporary, as gas prices will increase to 
reflect the recent increases in petroleum products.
The introduction of legislation to control electricity lines companies needs to be extended 
to gas companies. In the meantime, I don't believe it's worth connecting to gas when we 
pay 60c a day (plus GST) to the electricity lines company.
Steve Stickland.  Howick.
Don't blame scientists
I'm no scientist but John Maxwell's "The challenge for science" is 
mistaken. Blaming the world's woes on scientists
and demanding that they "fix it" is barking up the wrong tree. Scientists 
are driven by curiosity (what, where, how,
why and when), ideas and "what ifs?" to define our universe and how it 
works.
Inventors, technologists and industrialists develop these findings into 
products which we consumers want and use, at
the same time polluting and damaging our world. It is this group that is 
culpable, not the scientists. Let's keep the
blame on, and assign the fix to, the people responsible.
Scientists are a tiny minority group and therefore have little or no 
influence on what we do with the knowledge they give us.
Grant Allard. Waiuku.

Tariffs move shows a cabinet weakness

The cabinet made a decision on Monday which tells the world that New Zealand, 
for the next few year, has lost its
nerve. On the face of it, the decision to freeze tariffs until 2005 may 
seem of little consequence. Only three industries
still enjoy protection - clothing, other textiles and footwear - and the 
duty charged on imports of those goods has been
gradually declining for a dozen years. The rate of reduction has been so 
gentle that consumers have scarcely noticed
and they are unlikely to feel the effects of a five-year freeze. So why 
does it matter?
For one thing, there is an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation agreement to 
phase out tariffs by 2010. New Zealand
has been a leading member in that quest, not least because the prospect of 
duty-free exports to much larger markets
is a benefit that far outweighs any loss in previously protected industries 
here. The Government concedes that. Says Commerce Minister Trevor Mallard: "It could 
well be to New Zealand's advantage that we have much lower tariff barriers or nil barriers 
in the long term."
But we no longer have a Government prepared to lead the way. It has not 
gone so far as to renounce the Apec target,
so presumably it intends to pick up the tariff reduction programme in 2006 
for a rapid phase-out by 2010. Ironically,
that could be more painful than the present schedule for the industries 
concerned.
Of course, the present Government, unless it wins three terms, will not be 
the one that has to revive the programme after 2005 and rush to meet the Apec deadline. 
If there is still an Apec deadline. That would have been hard enough to maintain anyway 
without one of the more enthusiastic members falling off the pace. And it bears repeating 
that if the drive for free trade falters, smaller economies will suffer more than the 
big ones.
International agreements, though, have not been the reason for New 
Zealand's lowering of trade barriers. Tariff
reduction was under way well before Apec set free trade targets in 1992, 
before even there was much sign of progress
in the Uruguay Round that led to the creation of the World Trade 
Organisation. We set about lowering import barriers
in the mid-1980s for our own good.
Several decades of protection had not produced a manufacturing sector 
capable of competing in the world. The
country had to shift resources - labour as well as capital from import 
substitutes to viable exports, or at least to
activities that would not be a tax on others, which is what tariffs really 
amount to.
The Government's freeze will mean that competitive industries, particularly 
in the rural sector, face higher costs for the
sake of industries that cannot compete. The cost to the country is greater 
than the dollars the duty adds to a pair of
shoes. There is a more significant cost in keeping resources in nonviable 
industries and jobs.
Not even protectionists argue very strongly any more that import barriers 
to small economies buy time for their industries to become competitive. Too much time 
has been given them, at great cost to the economies. Helen Clark
must be aware of the contradiction in her comment that her freeze would 
give industries such as fashion a chance to
"re-engineer" their products as leading New Zealand fashion houses are 
doing already. They have done it because
barriers were coming down and they had to become competitive.
Now they can relax. A weak, popular, short-sighted policy is the order of 
the day.

Little logic, much humanity

The families of the five New Zealand soldiers executed during the First World War for 
desertion or mutiny are understandably delighted that the men will be pardoned 
posthumously. The executions cast a slur which in some cases, remains keenly felt - the 
more so because the men faced firing squad even though each was suffering from shell-
shock or another stress-related disorder. Modern knowledge of mental illness dictates that 
our response to their plight be far more humane.
A recent independent inquiry by Sir Edward Somers, however, found insufficient 
evidence  of  miscarriages of justice to justify pardons for the executed  men. The 
Government, in allowing Mark Peck's Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War Bill to 
proceed, has chosen to override that conclusion. 
In so doing, it opens itself to the accusation that it is rewriting history. 
Sir Edward noted that it was not possible to say what account was taken of the men's 
disorders. The Returned Services
Association makes a similar point when it asks why the bill does not also 
include soldiers court-martialled and sent
back to the front to almost certain death.
Nor should we lose sight of the context of the times. Both the British and 
French Armies on the Western Front had
been jolted by mutinies. For that reason, the British Government has 
elected to distinguish between soldiers
executed for desertion and those shot for mutiny.
The mutineers, whose crime is considered the more dangerous and 
premeditated, have not been recognised as
victims of war. The New Zealand Government makes no such distinction.
Yet while its broad sweep may be lacking in logic, it flies high in 
humanely erasing the stain of disgrace from five families.

A blow to local democracy

The appointment of a commissioner to replace the elected Rodney District 
Council is a severe blow to local
democracy.
One of the first acts of the commissioner will be the setting of local 
rates for the coming financial year, with no
accountability to the local people who will be paying those rates. This is 
"taxation without representation," the issue
that precipitated the American Revolution that ultimately led to 
independence.
The abolition of the democratic right of Rodney citizens to elect their own 
local government is to deprive them one of
their most basic freedoms. And all because of claims that the council was 
dysfunctional.
No matter how unruly the Rodney council had become, that is insufficient 
justification for the suspension of a
democratically elected institution. The basic services to the community are
still being provided: the rubbish is still being collected, roads and 
footpaths are still being repaired, the sewerage is
still being disposed of and fresh water is still being supplied.
The citizens of Rodney would have survived through to the next election in 
18 months - then given their verdict through the ballot box.
David Thornton, Northcote.
Honours and titles
The Prime Minister is trying to justify her decision to abolish titles by 
hiding behind an outdated recommendation of the 1995 Prime Minister's honours 
advisory committee. It is disingenuous for her to say she is merely implementing that 
committee's recommendation.
Time has moved on. The reservations of the committee have been shown to be 
unwarranted. Since 1996 we have had
our own royal honours system with New Zealand titles. Titles have fitted 
comfortably with that new system.
Why doesn't the Prime Minister just admit she doesn't like success or 
individualism? She seems to want us to be a
bland group of identical dolls falling off the end of a production line.
Titles are a part of New Zealand culture. The fact that their origins are 
from England is not relevant to the debate.
What else of our English-sourced culture will the Prime Minister snuff out next? 
If she is concerned about titles overshadowing the highest New Zealand 
honour, the Order of New Zealand, then
education should address that issue. The abolition of titles is yet another 
example of the Prime Minister imposing her
culture and prejudices on the people of New Zealand.
Belinda Vernon, National MP.
Britain is relevant
We are often told that the Queen and Britain are of little relevance to 
New Zealanders, particularly young New Zealanders, even by the Prime Minister, Helen 
Clark.
I disagree with the view that Britain is of little relevance to New Zealanders. We are all 
New Zealanders, whatever our ethnic background. However, most people do have a 
desire to know about their ancestry. There is a very strong movement in New Zealand for 
young Maori to discover their origins and culture. For a young European New Zealander 
wishing to do the same, Britain is of immense relevance, Thousands of young New, 
Zealanders flock to Britain every year to discover it for themselves.
The vast majority of New Zealanders derive their ancestry from Britain. To say that 
Britain is not relevant is to say that the culture of many European New Zealanders is not 
relevant.
Having lived in Britain for the past four years as part of my overseas experience, I have 
seen how the history, institutions and values of the British must have been instrumental in 
shaping the history, institutions and values of New Zealand.
The flow of ideas has been far from one way.
Many ideas that have arisen in New Zealand have been adopted in Britain. 
Both countries share a common history and it is my belief that Britain will continue to 
remain relevant to New Zealanders for a very long time to come.
Matthew Coleman. London.
She's seeing red
Our footpaths have just been resealed with sharp red stones that cut one's 
feet, cut animal paws, cut shoes and
destroy bicycle tyres. These sharp red stones are supposed to be held in 
place by tar. The tar sticks to shoes and
the stones stick  to the tar. This mixture is then walked inside the house - 
it's a nightmare.
I have complained about this many times over, the years, but without 
success. Why seal a footpath with sharp stones one can't walk on? Who is responsible for 
this ridiculous nonsense?
Kate Curlett.  Orakei.
Caught left-handed 
The nicely drawn Evans cartoon on Monday has intrigued me. Where did the 
cartoonist find the left-handed lathe for
his illustration? I have been after one for years and have always been told 
that they are not made.
Deigh Davies. Papakura,
24-hour work cycle to clear clogged roads
An increase in funding for new roading may not prove to be the answer for 
Auckland because it's "catch-up mode" as always. 
Let Auckland go over to a 24-hour employment cycle in which all warehouses and 
retail goods suppliers to the trades  only work at night,  thereby removing trucks, vans 
and a lot of cars from the roads in daylight hours. Lifestyle changes would be needed to
make this possible but the benefits of 24-hour trading could help more than Auckland's
 travel problems – jobs being No 1.
D. Hart. Papakura.

Oldies and the internet
In her Dialogue page article headed "Age need not be barrier to surfing on 
the web," Shelley Bridgeman
acknowledged the profound impact of the internet on society, including the 
remarkable development and opportunities
provided by e-mail. But she says ". . . one of the main drawbacks is the 
fact that it seems to be inaccessible to one
important and growing sector of society ... the elderly."
What about the remarkable introduction and growth of a service initiated by 
Telecom and designed specifically to
encourage "the elderly" to become acquainted with computers, e-mail and the 
internet generally? To Telecom's great
credit, the growth since inception has been phenomenal.
It was first started in the United States in 1986 and in this country in 
1992 with a branch in Wellington. There are now 55 branches throughout the country 
helping more than 20,000 "older people" 
and more branches are being formed.
Up-to-date information can be gained from Telecom directly or through its 
excellent SeniorNet website at
(www.seniornet.org.nz).
 The "elderly" may be groping at times, like the younger generation, to cope with the 
speed of technological change, but, they are seemingly more up to date than your writer.
G. C. Everitt. Tauranga.
I am incensed at the arrogant, ageist discrimination demonstrated by 
Shelley Bridgeman. Of course, everyone knows
that all blonds such as Ms Bridgeman are sex-obsessed, stupid and flighty 
and love diamonds more than their own
mothers.
Now I may be over 60, with "stiff fingers and failing eyesight" but I do 
not "struggle down to the bank to check my
account balance" and I have no wish to sit in front of a computer all day 
in "fluffy pink slippers."
May I suggest that the Herald wins no friends by publishing articles by 
so-called writers whose half-baked
opinions stereotype and discriminate as do those of this "blond." L.L. Perry. Herne Bay.
Superannuation gaps
I am puzzled that accord has not been reached between our parliamentarians 
on the matter of future superannuation
plans for all New Zealanders. There hasn't been one word of dissent from 
any of them about the super scheme that
they enjoy, so it must be first class. If all New Zealanders were allowed 
to contribute to and participate in the same
scheme it might well be that it would help to address the problem of 
Closing the Gaps as well.
Peter McLeavey. Henderson.

MMP the only democratic system

With regard to the review of MMP and proportional representation, as long 
as there are more than two political parties
putting themselves forward for election, first-past-the-post is a dead duck if democracy is 
to prevail. After all, that is
why we were involved in two world wars.
A look back to the recent past shows governments elected that were far from 
representing the majority. As much as
a few people may not like MMP, at least it is closer to majority rule than FPP will ever 
be.
It would be a disaster for democracy in New Zealand if FPP was reinstated. 
Maybe STV would be fairer, but definitely
not FPP if democracy is what New Zealanders want.
I. J. Sokolich. Tauranga.
I certainly voted for MMP, but not out of "ignorance" as your correspondent 
Clive Harvison suggests. He seems to
have a rather short memory when he chastises MMP for making MPs not 
accountable.
May I remind him that his cherished "accountable" MP, Richard Prebble, 
flogged off all the state assets he could lay
hands on, and that "accountable" John Luxton initiated the privatisation of 
our
electricity system, these despite voters' outspoken disapproval. As for the 
allegedly "unelected" list MPs, they are
first elected by their own Party membership and any citizen can join a 
party to participate in this process. Then they
are elected by the whole country which now is, in essence, one single constituency.
Finally, the number of MPs required to run a country is not proportional to 
its population. Obviously, it takes an equal
amount of work to make laws, whether it be for three million people or 300 
million. However, I would readily concede
that a lot of parliamentary time could be saved if MPs would stop their 
habitual mudslinging. K. H. Peter Kammler.
Warkworth.
It's a pity that a number of your correspondents, the most recent being 
Peter Smith, of Milford, and Clive Harvison, of Remuera, did not read your editorial 
"MMP issue must be put to public" 
before putting pen to paper. The editorial was
not arguing for a referendum to bring back first-past-the-post" voting. You 
clearly stated that MMP is here to stay,
given the lack of public support for any alternatives to it. Your editorial 
argued only for a referendum on
any fine-tuning proposals that might be recommended by the review committee.
Only about 200,000 people could be bothered voting for FPP in the 1992 
referendum and it was rejected once again in
a binding referendum in 1993. In 2000, hardly any submissions to the 
committee support it. It would be quite
inappropriate to give a twice-rejected voting system a third chance.
Do Messrs Smith and Harvison really want a voting system in which 15 
special votes in Oamaru determine which
minority party would have absolute power (as happened in 1993)? It is only 
MMP that has given voters from North
Shore and Remuera a chance to affect the outcome of a general election.
Keith Rankin.  Onehunga.
Golden handshakes
 Regarding the continuing saga of the "golden handshakes," and remembering 
the anniversary of the Battle of Britain,
perhaps an adaptation of Winston Churchill's famous speech is appropriate: 
"Never has so much been paid by so
many to so few."  D. Wear.  Orewa.

Nothing to fear from Islam
It was a matter of time for an Islamphobe to use your sensational news item 
on the alleged attempt at the Sydney
nuclear reactor to do some Muslim-bashing and your correspondent D. 
Cholmondeley-Smith has done it. As a
Muslim, I was offended by his letter which labels Muslims as terrorists.
He claims that Muslims routinely attack Christians all over the world. 
True, there are Christian-Muslim clashes in
Indonesia but no one knows who started the conflict. It might have been 
Muslims - or it might have been Christians.
The Muslim, by his faith, has to respect Jesus as much as he respects 
Muhammad because the Koran commands
so. The Koran also declares that among the Unbelievers, the Christians are 
the closest to Muslims in friendship.
In contrast, the Christians believe Muhammad to be an impostor and the 
Muslims infidels. Therefore, it is obvious who would be intolerant of whom.
The history of Jerusalem is clear indication as to these different 
attitudes. Whenever the Muslims captured
Jerusalem, the inhabitants were not put to the sword. But it was a totally 
different story in 1099 when the Crusaders
took it over. Likewise, when the Muslims took over Spain, there was no 
Inquisition. It was quite different when they
lost it.
Muslim hatred for Israel is quite natural. If the Maori expelled Mr 
Cholmondeley-Smith from New Zealand and he and
his family ended up in a camp for decades, his hatred would not be any 
less. Muslim hatred for the United States is
because it backs Israel.
Ahamed Amirudin. Mt Roskill.
It is time the Herald stopped using the words, "Islamic," "Islam" and 
"Muslim" in a way that only promotes religious intolerance.
The front page photo of an Afghan soldier labelled "Islamic" is part of the 
problem that engenders fear, suspicion and
intolerance.
In marked contrast, the Herald does not use the word Christian to describe 
Pinochet or Milosevic or even the
Christian Serbians or Croatians. It is always "Muslim" or "Islamic" that 
finds its place into press articles.
The Press Council has in the past censured the Herald for this selective usage. It is time 
you took this issue seriously.
D. Wakim. Epsom.
I congratulate you on printing the letter from D. Cholmondeley-Smith. At 
first I admit to being angry that you should
choose to display the mindless bigotry of an individual in matters of 
religion, humanitarian belief and international
relations. Mr Cholmondeley-Smith in one letter surely is a top scorer in 
the ignorance stakes.
But on more mature reflection I must praise you. His letter is a lesson to 
all of us. We may all by its publication
marvel at the social processes which produce so many people with the warped 
opinions and twisted views that
diminish their understanding. We may pity people such as this whose lives 
are forever imprisoned by the square of
their own prejudice.
Ruth Romanovsky. Panmure.
Smacking children
I was extremely disappointed to read that Roger McClay, Commissioner for 
Children wants to ban "smacking" by
legislation. Making laws will never change a person's behaviour if they do 
not realise they need to change and want
to. Yes, it was the beatings that killed but that was not the root cause of 
the problem.
New Zealand is a society whose behaviour is becoming more violent and out 
of control. This is why there is a lot more
anger being vented and this needs to be addressed.
I was also disappointed that the commissioner equates smackings with 
thrashings. I smacked my children for three
reasons: lying, stealing or blatant disobedience. I also had a rule for 
myself: never spank them when I was angry. I always had a cooling off time before 
administering discipline.
Legislation would stop only responsible parents, not those causing the 
problems. We need to find another solution.
M.E. Willy. Dargaville.
David Ravel justifies his belief that it is acceptable to hit children in 
his sad and cynical letter. This sort of attitude
reinforces every reason why Children's Commissioner Roger McClay's ideas 
must be made law.
It is indeed a strange and conflicting message we send our children, who 
are in one instance smacked, beaten or hit
as a disciplinary action, then kissed and cuddled to remind them that they 
are loved. I experienced this as a child and
recall feeling confused and humiliated.
There are parallels in his argument to the difficulties women face in 
violent relationships. Aggressive and confusing
signals of emotion have finally been recognised as battered woman's 
syndrome. It is against the law and society
deems it abhorrent.
That parents love their children is not the issue.
The issue is, as shown by tragic events, how society is not protecting our 
most innocent and vulnerable members.
Violence is never an acceptable means of protection, discipline or 
Example-setting.
If a person was seen smacking a partner, friend, mother or dog, we would 
not tolerate this and hence there are laws
to protect people and animals. Logic says Roger McClay's proposals will be 
made law. It will be an incredibly positive
step towards stopping cycles of violence and changing the attitude of some 
who see it as acceptable to assault
children.
N. Ward. Mt Eden.
The stir over the unfortunate plight of so many of New Zealand's children 
serves to highlight the fact that our
misunderstanding of human nature and responsibility is at an all-time low.
On the one hand, the abuse of many children (sometimes to death) and the 
neglect of others demonstrates that we
have forgotten that people are inherently precious because they are made in 
God's image, and that parents have a
divine responsibility to nurture the children entrusted to them.
On the other hand, the well-meaning but deluded anti-smacking campaign 
promoted by some clearly shows that we
still do not understand that people are inherently inclined to evil. That 
tendency requires discipline - and sometimes pain - to control it. And it requires divine 
intervention to overcome it.
Peter van den Brink. Papakura.
Acknowledging David Ravel's letter, my husband and I use the same methods 
he describes. Our two daughters feel
much loved and are secure with their places in our family.
They are taught how to treat each other with respect and to consider each 
other's feelings and those of others too.
 We think that it is extremely important that
any discipline is reinforced after a suitable amount
of time with big hugs, and our children told how much they are loved. Children need to 
feel a sense
of caring from their parents and not be left, after being punished, feeling bewildered and 
angry and
wanting to lash out.  
Any discipline taken carries warnings beforehand and family talks 
afterwards, depending on whether the naughty act
needs a bit more talking about. We feel that a big positive step is now 
being taken with letters and open discussion.
That is healthy.
Lee Billington. Onehunga.

Will thar go the same way as the wapiti did?
 The planned destruction of the South
Island thar herd looks like another case of
a bureaucratic bungle. The Department of
Conservation has assessed that the well-
being of mountain flowers outweighs the
benefits accrued by managing a resource
for the benefit of hunters locally and from
abroad. Its response is to, send in helicop-
ters and indiscriminately slaughter every
thar in sight. 
This is reminiscent of how our magnificent wapiti herd was "managed" by DoC's 
predecessors in years gone by. DoC should be consulting hunting guides and 
organisations such as the Deerstalkers Association as to how to manage the herd so that 
numbers can be decreased to levels acceptable to all parties.
Gerald Trass. Bucklands Beach.

Sky, TV3 to broadcast Parliament
They reckon the public will get to see those who work hardest and put in the longest 
hours
Oooh, I'll have to get my new smock out


