Letters April 21
21/04/2010 3:38:00 p.m.
Zealandia
I take issue with the assertion in issue of 7 April on Zealandia that the increase in visitor numbers [there] is due to the name change to Zealandia from Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, rather, I would suggest that it is due to increased public awareness of the Sanctuary; caused by the adverse publicity surrounding the name change. I believe the saying is “Any publicity is good publicity.” Whether the $25000 for the new name was from a sponsor or not is immaterial to me. It’s not as though the Sanctuary is awash with cash and if members had been approached, I’m sure they would have come up with an appropriate name, for no payment. Around the time of the name change, the City Council obviously also had misgivings about the way money was being spent and the blowout on the new visitor centre, by insisting on more council representation on the Trust Board. After nine years membership of the Sanctuary, I decided not to renew in February 2009 because I felt money was not being spent wisely; namely the amount spent on the name-change. Shortly before my membership expired; I visited, mainly to see the suspension bridge, which had been built since my previous visit. I can only describe it as non-event and the (donated) money would have been better directed elsewhere.
John Bowers, Paparangi, (abridged).
Jan Gehl
As a follow up to your article on Jan Gehl, I would like to quote from an article in the Christchurch Press late last year under the heading “Design Guru puts people first” reporting on his visit to prepare a blueprint for the Christchurch City Council on how central Christchurch should look and “Gehl believes city planning should start with people, followed by public spaces and buildings, instead of the other way around.” There is unfortunately an element in our City Council who would not agree with his report.
Pauline Swann, Wadestown.
Late-model Volvo
Re Mr Gary Lewis’s Apr.14 letter reacting to Mr Ronald R Smythe’s of Apr.7, although I usually agree with Mr Smythe’s letters, and often disagree with Mr Lewis’s, on this occasion I agree with one part of the latter’s comments, if Mr Smythe really did make a further allusion to his late-model Volvo. I do recall an earlier letter, maybe two years ago, where Mr Smythe’s mention of his new Volvo struck me as being somewhat vulgar. It is not in good taste to make gratuitous mentions of any expensive items one owns, seemingly to impress people. I remember the once-popular writer Beverley Nichols was constantly name-dropping about rich, famous, or titled acquaintances, and about luxury possessions, and the “prestige” shops he patronised – the social-climbing old poof! Jane Austen, an acute observer, had her eponymous heroine Emma utter some acid remarks about young Mrs Elton, seemingly from new-rich parents, and her frequent allusions to their recent acquisition which made them “carriage-folk” – a barouche-landau. I suppose that was, 200 years ago, analogous to a late-model Volvo; so Mr Lewis must be the present day male equivalent of Miss Emma Woodhouse – despite some faults, a decent and not-unkind!
H Westfold, Miramar (abridged).
Jitterati
I can’t quite work out your Jitterati comic strip in last week’s Capital Times (14-20 April). When the Snapper machine was berating the girl for not having a boyfriend, was the writer Grant Buist having a go at single people? Or was, when the girl retorted, he supporting single people’s right to live their lives as they choose? I run a network for single people in Wellington called SaRC (www.sarc.co.nz). The network is run FOR single people, BY single people. It seeks to counter the stereotype that single people are somehow sad, lonely, desperate losers and it provides news, information and opportunities for single people to enjoy their lives while they are single. The network also has a social club with a wide range of social events and activities where members can “meet mates, not dates”. If he is single, maybe Grant would like to join up.
Hilary Combes, Wellington City.
Reader from Kapiti
I enjoy your paper, which is now widely available on the Kapiti Coast. Our Museum alongside the control tower Kapiti Road is currently exhibiting 75 years of scheduled air services in NZ. Currently we meet at 9.30am each Tuesday, but this precludes those that work, which means we have an older membership than we would like. We have decided to trial evening meetings once a month. The first is on Wednesday 28 April at 7.30pm in the Museum building at the airport by the control tower. Speaker: Paul Harrison, Topic: Illustrated talk on Operation Samaritan 42 Sqd RNZAF with Andovers in Somalia. People will have time to chat to members over a cuppa and view the latest exhibition.
Tony Froude, Paraparaumu, (abridged).
Elvis
Good on you Cathy, I’m a big fan of the great Elvis, too, and your love for the man and his music helps to keep his beautiful music alive. Thank You Very Much...
Tony Key, Wellington.
Parking woes
Why must the delights of Wellington, a moderately small city with many of the amenities of a large city, be spoiled by a revenue driven, rule bound regime. At 11am on Sunday I watched a car parked for about 10 minutes in a residents’ car parking section on Roxburgh St, receive a ticket. There were at least three other spaces clear in the zone, and not much traffic moving anywhere. The driver appeared as the ticket was completed. Surely to enjoy inner city living we need to enforce the rules with a modicum of common sense.
A. Kerry, Mt Vic.
I take issue with the assertion in issue of 7 April on Zealandia that the increase in visitor numbers [there] is due to the name change to Zealandia from Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, rather, I would suggest that it is due to increased public awareness of the Sanctuary; caused by the adverse publicity surrounding the name change. I believe the saying is “Any publicity is good publicity.” Whether the $25000 for the new name was from a sponsor or not is immaterial to me. It’s not as though the Sanctuary is awash with cash and if members had been approached, I’m sure they would have come up with an appropriate name, for no payment. Around the time of the name change, the City Council obviously also had misgivings about the way money was being spent and the blowout on the new visitor centre, by insisting on more council representation on the Trust Board. After nine years membership of the Sanctuary, I decided not to renew in February 2009 because I felt money was not being spent wisely; namely the amount spent on the name-change. Shortly before my membership expired; I visited, mainly to see the suspension bridge, which had been built since my previous visit. I can only describe it as non-event and the (donated) money would have been better directed elsewhere.
John Bowers, Paparangi, (abridged).
Jan Gehl
As a follow up to your article on Jan Gehl, I would like to quote from an article in the Christchurch Press late last year under the heading “Design Guru puts people first” reporting on his visit to prepare a blueprint for the Christchurch City Council on how central Christchurch should look and “Gehl believes city planning should start with people, followed by public spaces and buildings, instead of the other way around.” There is unfortunately an element in our City Council who would not agree with his report.
Pauline Swann, Wadestown.
Late-model Volvo
Re Mr Gary Lewis’s Apr.14 letter reacting to Mr Ronald R Smythe’s of Apr.7, although I usually agree with Mr Smythe’s letters, and often disagree with Mr Lewis’s, on this occasion I agree with one part of the latter’s comments, if Mr Smythe really did make a further allusion to his late-model Volvo. I do recall an earlier letter, maybe two years ago, where Mr Smythe’s mention of his new Volvo struck me as being somewhat vulgar. It is not in good taste to make gratuitous mentions of any expensive items one owns, seemingly to impress people. I remember the once-popular writer Beverley Nichols was constantly name-dropping about rich, famous, or titled acquaintances, and about luxury possessions, and the “prestige” shops he patronised – the social-climbing old poof! Jane Austen, an acute observer, had her eponymous heroine Emma utter some acid remarks about young Mrs Elton, seemingly from new-rich parents, and her frequent allusions to their recent acquisition which made them “carriage-folk” – a barouche-landau. I suppose that was, 200 years ago, analogous to a late-model Volvo; so Mr Lewis must be the present day male equivalent of Miss Emma Woodhouse – despite some faults, a decent and not-unkind!
H Westfold, Miramar (abridged).
Jitterati
I can’t quite work out your Jitterati comic strip in last week’s Capital Times (14-20 April). When the Snapper machine was berating the girl for not having a boyfriend, was the writer Grant Buist having a go at single people? Or was, when the girl retorted, he supporting single people’s right to live their lives as they choose? I run a network for single people in Wellington called SaRC (www.sarc.co.nz). The network is run FOR single people, BY single people. It seeks to counter the stereotype that single people are somehow sad, lonely, desperate losers and it provides news, information and opportunities for single people to enjoy their lives while they are single. The network also has a social club with a wide range of social events and activities where members can “meet mates, not dates”. If he is single, maybe Grant would like to join up.
Hilary Combes, Wellington City.
Reader from Kapiti
I enjoy your paper, which is now widely available on the Kapiti Coast. Our Museum alongside the control tower Kapiti Road is currently exhibiting 75 years of scheduled air services in NZ. Currently we meet at 9.30am each Tuesday, but this precludes those that work, which means we have an older membership than we would like. We have decided to trial evening meetings once a month. The first is on Wednesday 28 April at 7.30pm in the Museum building at the airport by the control tower. Speaker: Paul Harrison, Topic: Illustrated talk on Operation Samaritan 42 Sqd RNZAF with Andovers in Somalia. People will have time to chat to members over a cuppa and view the latest exhibition.
Tony Froude, Paraparaumu, (abridged).
Elvis
Good on you Cathy, I’m a big fan of the great Elvis, too, and your love for the man and his music helps to keep his beautiful music alive. Thank You Very Much...
Tony Key, Wellington.
Parking woes
Why must the delights of Wellington, a moderately small city with many of the amenities of a large city, be spoiled by a revenue driven, rule bound regime. At 11am on Sunday I watched a car parked for about 10 minutes in a residents’ car parking section on Roxburgh St, receive a ticket. There were at least three other spaces clear in the zone, and not much traffic moving anywhere. The driver appeared as the ticket was completed. Surely to enjoy inner city living we need to enforce the rules with a modicum of common sense.
A. Kerry, Mt Vic.
