Opinion

Proud to see

Monday 9 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was holidaying at Mount Maunganui during the weekend of the Ports of Tauranga Triathlon with my family when I noticed some of the triathletes from the Cook Islands swimming, running and biking their hearts out. How proud I was to be a Cook Islander standing among the other spectators and screaming my […]

New Year challenge for the PM

Monday 9 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It looks like the PM in his capacity as Minister for the Environment has a job on his hands in the New Year. From the large number of letters to the editor over the last few weeks about the stench coming from a chicken farm in Ngatangiia, it is obvious that this is […]

Kata - January 9, 2012

Monday 9 January 2012 | Published in Kata

Are our streets roadworthy?

Saturday 7 January 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

If the government is going to be difficult about warrants of fitness, a smoke signaller writes, I ask the question: Would our roads pass a warrant of fitness? SS: Thats a good point, and probably one thats often raised by those whose vehicles might not pass muster at the WOF inspections! Here’s an interesting thought […]

TIS shocked

Saturday 7 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, At the public consultations on the controversial subject of foreign fishing licences several months ago, the public was told that these were exploratory licences, to help us gather data on the extent of our fishery resources. It is clear that for this to be effective, there would need to be at least one […]

Smell is worse

Saturday 7 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If your letter writer in Fridays paper is correct in saying that the Muri Beach Club Hotel & Spa was largely financed and built from the profits of Scotts Farm, one can deduce that this hotel was built at the expense of those unfortunate residents in Muri who have had to put up […]

No one gives a damn

Saturday 7 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to respond to the letter of 29 December (Looking beyond the market) by Anonymous. Te akameitaki nei au ia koe, Anonymous! I offer three additional comments. No personalities involved. 1. Having recently returned from a global conference on market-based economics (my work prohibits me from elaborating), I wish Anonymous had […]

Dreadful stench speaks for itself

Saturday 7 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It is simply amazing that Public Health has now decided to conduct a survey in the Muri area to gauge the views of those living in close proximity of Scotts Farm who have been affected by the dreadful stench over the years. Aside from the awful drunken behaviour of that silly All Black […]

Public health census in Muri

Saturday 7 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In writing this letter, I have no intention of involving myself in gutter level politicking, which has been generated by defeatist politicians that have jumped on the bandwagon of the Scotts Farm saga in anonymous fashion to propagate their political agenda on this rather very important issue concerning the Muri community and Mr […]

Kata - January 7, 2012

Saturday 7 January 2012 | Published in Kata

One tuna $936K, 17 boats $800K

Friday 6 January 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

I hope the minister of fisheries reads where a tuna one whole bluefin tuna was sold for 56.49 million yen (NZ$936,000) to a Japanese restaurant last Thursday, a smoke signaller writes. This surely makes a mockery of the NZ$800,000 fee paid to the Cook Islands for 17 and more long line fishing boats which have […]

Stench drove me away

Friday 6 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Last night (Wednesday) the stench from Scotts Farm was so terrible that I had to go and sleep at a relatives home which is outside the Muri area. After the welcomed rain the island has recently experienced, the smell from Scotts Farm, particularly on a breezeless night, is simply terrible. But hey, lets […]

Out of the circle

Friday 6 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Reading Mr Kas article with regards to his views and translation of the beautiful name TE PAE TAI NUI, I am lead to make this comment. I think Mr Ka is very picky and critical of the word NUI as to maatamaata, atupaka, korereka, poria, ngao and so the list goes on. Looking […]

Kata - January 6, 2012

Friday 6 January 2012 | Published in Kata

A name change is superficial

Friday 6 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Brandon (January 4) needs to do some research. Avaiki Nui is not the Cook Islands. It is more likely to be Tahiti and her islands or Samoa before that. Before that, SE Asia. Sure, all of the islands he mentions have indigenous names but the achievement is meaningless (apart from Samoa, Tonga and […]

Call from taro patch to help Scotts Farm

Friday 6 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Everyone is now complaining about John Scotts farm the very man who built the Muri Beach Club Resort without a single penny of debt or mortgage but one that was built from every cent of profit from selling chicken eggs. Thats right, Mama Tara who delivers the eggs first thing in the morning […]

Chook poo sure does smell

Thursday 5 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Chook poo smells, I agree, but… Ive just bought a new property not far from a free range chook farm in Takanini here in Auckland. When the wind blows westerly, you can smell the chook farm. Its not unbearable though. We knew what we were in for when we bought the place. So […]

TV times wrong

Thursday 5 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write this with frustration and annoyance. CITV advertise their programmes for the day showing TV One News at 8.30pm and so forth! What annoys me is this does not happen. I understand that prior to Christmas and all the local businesses wanting to advertise their wares and create sales, the time frame […]

Stop licensing foreign fishing companies

Thursday 5 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I urge government to stop licensing foreign fishing vessels and issuing contracts right now. The northern group islands are crying because there are no fish why is this? Its because the Chinese fishing vessels are taking all the catch. So please ask them to bugger off somewhere else where theres a lot of […]