Letters to the Editor

 

Consider this
I am a very interested observer of the proposing candidates for Mayor of Kaipara District Council.

The first to put his hand up is Mr Greg Gent, a farmer and businessman who wrote a good damning report on the failures of the Kaipara District Council which finally pushed the government to terminate the then council.

At the time of this action by the government to terminate the council Mr Gent was the chairman of BNZ Partners, a business unit of BNZ, a major lender to the financially failed council of the time.

I leave it to my fellow voters to consider this.

G J Smith
Mangawhai


Fire Service farce
On Monday July 25 the Mangawhai Volunteer Fire Brigade took the action of voting Jacob Hassall and Jess Brown off the brigade. These two had spent nine months hard slog as part of the brigade, they had both attended the week long National Fire Service recruits course, and had graduated as fully qualified fire fighters, fully armed to save the communities, property and life as they have been called out to do. What an outstanding achievement.

We at Mangawhai had a very good fire brigade. It is very strange that a certain faction want to hold the brigade to ransom. It is only their say-so that people can join the Fire Service.

These youngsters go to training, giving up their spare time, pushing themselves to the limit to pass and they expected to join up. Happiness and joy, go to the meeting, get voted off, despair, sorrow and downcast. All that training for nothing.

What a way to treat the young people today. They should be welcoming them with open arms. They are fit young people able to give years of loyal service to the brigade. Don’t forget you old people are getting to your use-by date. Who is going to replace you when fail to get on the fire engine?

You elderly firemen should be helping and tutoring the youngsters of today, that’s how young people learn – following and watching and paying attention to the instructors.

Monday night is their main training night – rain, cold weather, practice, practice practice., more training, more training. Boring maybe, however they still keep going. They are trying to be at their best so that when they come to your place, yes your place, they are at their best, maybe save your place or your life. Young people are our future – give them a chance and they may surprise you.

Those of you who voted off these young people should at the very least stand up and be counted. Tell us who you are and tell them the reason why you destroyed their happiness and opportunity to serve the community. Life is not a dress rehearsal, we only get one shot at it. Give them a shot.

John Ganley
Mangawhai


Private land, not car park
I have looked at the holes in the (Village) Four Square car park and wonder if the owners are going to wait until someone has a serious fall or breaks a leg.

They could have been fixed during summer but no, never happened. Now it's winter which will probably be the excuse for not repairing them.

I have enquired who owns this land. I know it's not the Four Square or the Council. I have the name of the owners and you know who you are. Please fix the car park, it's a disgrace.

M Galt
Mangawhai


Spokesperson for the owner responds:
The car park on the Insley St side of the Village Four Square is the only legally required car parking for the Village shops and the owners are well aware they require maintenance. The repairing of this area was put in the hands of busy contractors some months ago, and this is where it still remains, but rest assured it is been addressed.

The area behind the shops has, over the years, become what people think of as public car parking. The land has now also become a short cut for cars and trucks wishing to avoid the main intersection into Mangawhai, further adding to the challenge and costs of maintenance. However, the area behind these shops is private land - not designated car parking!

It has only been through the generosity of the owners, and at their own cost for all the maintenance and rates, that this land has been allowed to be used as such for many decades.