Letters to the Editor 26 June
Ligar Bay housing
We recently attended a meeting of mainly Ligar Bay residents to discuss issues arising around the homes (baches) located on road reserve next to the beach. The meeting was orderly, despite the potentially emotional issue of families losing their much-loved homes and treasured baches.
There were many reasons brought forward to support the demolition of the homes at the expiration of their licences to occupy until 2014. Some of these included limitation of public access, restriction of reserve plantings, proximity to the current road, erosion and potential pollution of the estuary. All valid points, yet for us they seemed to miss the underlying ethical issue: When we discuss whether the baches should be demolished at the end of their licence period, we’re talking about some people’s homes.
One of attractions of living in Golden Bay is its caring, nurturing community. When we saw the Slum Dog Millionaire young actor’s family home being demolished by officials, the Western world was aghast. How different is the situation in Ligar Bay? There are already mechanisms in place to address the pro-demolition issues raised at the meeting. If we don’t also include humanitarian considerations we might as well be driving the bulldozers.
Heather and Tre Sylvawood
I would like to apologise to those who attended the meeting on the Ligar Bay foreshore at Pohara Hall on 23 June.
After doing some research on the subject of land gifting I now think the comments I made were not soundly based.
Ian Watts
Trawling turns seabed into wasteland
An article in the Christchurch Press (22/6) reports that repeated trawling has turned much of the seabed around the UK into a barren wasteland. Research by Callum Roberts, professor of marine biology at York University, shows that the UK is now surrounded by an underwater desert as a result of decades of trawling. Scientists using deep sea photography and painstaking analysis of hundreds of years of fishing records have discovered an underwater terrain, once rich in species such as oysters, that has now largely been denuded of life. This is a sobering thought for us all here in New Zealand and in Golden Bay in particular.
Moira Tilling
Help with weeds
This year Golden Bay Weedbusters have Ministry for the Environment funding to help us to attempt to eradicate old man’s beard and banana passionfruit from western Golden Bay. Thanks to landowner co-operation we have been very satisfied with the results so far.
Peter Corby (Mr Weedbuster) would like to hear from any landowners west of Waitapu Bridge who still have banana passionfruit or old man’s beard on their property. He is a very respectful professional and will only come onto your property if he is invited. Please phone him at 524 8306 and make the invitation.
Both are notifiable weeds and if left, these vines have the capacity to eventually become out of control and shroud the Bay’s bush with their draperies. Birds love banana passionfruit and spread seeds through their droppings to our national parks and into other people’s gardens. It is a vine which can collapse whole canopies of trees; worse than the lighter old man’s beard whose fluffy seed heads in autumn are highly visible on trees on the Motueka side of Takaka Hill.
Pete is also funded to provide advice and support to Golden Bay landowners where notifiable weeds have become a troubling problem that they can’t seem to get on top of.
Jo-Anne Vaughan, Golden Bay Weedbusters
New GB Weekly format
I would like to extend my kudos for an excellent revamp of The GB Weekly. One can only imagine the amount of time and effort that went into it. The colour simply adds a whole new dimension and my only concern is that I have apparently thrown my version in the rubbish with the other Thursday tabloids! Could you possibly build in an audible alarm that sounds should one prematurely hit the recycle bin?
Again, well done!
Bruce Dooley
Gibbs Hill Challenge
As organiser of the Gibbs Hill Challenge for the last 10 years, Derry has decided to step down. A group of “keen locals”, with the backing of the Nelson Tri Club, has taken on the challenge of ensuring it continues.
So it will go ahead again on Sunday 9 August. It will start from Golden Bay High School with a cycle to Wainui car park, followed by a wonderfully scenic run over Gibbs Hill to Totaranui, on round the coastal route back to Wainui car park with a final cycle leg back to the high school.
This event can be done as an individual or as a team. The team can be any number of people, which makes it easier for the not-so-fit! Also, for those who want a run challenge only, there will be the “Over-The-Top” event which is the run section only.
This is a fantastic local event so dust off the bike/running shoes and start training (darkness and coldness no excuse!). For more information phone me or Wendy 525 8199 or email <w.demaat@clear.net.nz>.
Wouter de Maat, on behalf of organising committee
