A world first but it may be made a mockery of
Your story (10.3.25) on a threat to lower southern lake levels for energy generation deserved its front-page coverage.
Dubbed New Zealand’s first great conservation success story, the mighty Manapouri hydro-electric power scheme is renowned in New Zealand and internationally for utilising the waters of Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau within their natural lake levels. They have done this for more than 50 years.
The operators of the power scheme — initially the New Zealand Electricity Department and subsequently Meridian Energy — have managed to stay within the limits, which are monitored by the Guardians of the Lakes.
But now there is a proposal from Meridian to relax the lower limits on lake levels, and Emeritus Professor Sir Alan Mark, a leader of the legendary Save Manapouri campaign and former Guardians chairman, is saying the fragile ecology of the two lakes’ beaches would be at risk.
A 20cm lowering of the natural limit is proposed. It would make a mess of the beaches and ruin the power scheme’s reputation for upholding natural boundaries on the lakes’ shorelines.
A while ago some bright spark put up signs around Manapouri summing up the power scheme’s long-held commitment to produce green energy from Fiordland waterways.
They simply said: A WORLD FIRST. Tinkering with natural levels would make a mockery of the signs.
[Neville Peat is the author of the 1994 book Manapouri Saved! — Editor.]
Party safely
One can only feel anger and disappointment when reading the front-page article (12.3.25) "No easy solutions to make St Patrick’s Day safer".
If anything is unsafe it must be fixed and this problem can and must be fixed urgently. Numerous orange cones are put in place if a pothole is being fixed so why not care more for, and nurture, our precious young people?
The Dunedin City Council and university together should be providing large, safe supervised areas where young students and locals can regularly meet friends and socialise. Naturally these venues would require some finance.
It is ironic to read that, although the DCC has considerable debts, $15,000 has been found for a university scholarship. This is a worthy cause but surely a safe venue is more urgent than any scholarship at this time.
If the university would match this $15,000 the combined money could be used for providing suitable venues for our precious young students and locals.
We must trust our young people but no flat or street party can be totally safe.
[Abridged — length. Editor]
Many questions
Changes in world order, weakening of free speech and spreed of social engineering nationally and internationally are shaking the foundations on which many of us, particularly retired baby boomers, have lived our lives. Questioning why this is happening is a common topic of discussion amongst our age group.
The next comment is "what can we do about it"? Because we are retired and no longer answerable to employers and have no allegiance to professional bodies, we are not silenced by the socially engineered widespread woke apathetic minority.
The next comment is "why are we so concerned while those to be most affected, the young ones, say and do nothing"?
Will the baby boomers be blamed for the loss of freedom of speech, expression of opinion, choice of association and loss of our democracy controlled by dictatorial rule?
Wait and see but I’m trying so hard to believe
DonaldTrump could create a trade war with the world, by imposing large tariffs on certain goods entering the US. New Zealand has big exports of meat and wine to the US and valued around $3 billion on current export prices.
New Zealand has had tariffs imposed on its exports to many countries over the years, but some of these have disappeared when free-trade agreements have been reached, or phased out over a period of time. What will happen to our exports to the US has yet to be determined. Saying tariffs will apply is the same as saying taxes will apply. With Trump talking 25% tariffs this is very good money for the US government. We have import duties which are tariffs and apply to the likes of alcohol, tobacco and fuel, so we feel the pain of increased prices, just as the citizens of the US will shortly.The question is, can New Zealand maintain its volume of exports to the US and the current prices that go with them, if tariffs are to be imposed on some of them or all of them?
Thanks for the invite
Thank you G. Palmer (Letters ODT 8.3.25) for inviting yourself to my house. I will present you with a number of history books that support the narrative of my letter of 22.2.25. Re the International Court of Justice, this is an organisation of rights but no remedies and one that does not sanction or even recognise the Iranian-funded and armed group, Hamas (and others) as a terror organisation.
Maybe you can enlighten us as to why so many Arab countries will not accept any Palestinian refugees from Gaza along with your interpretation of the Charters of Hamas? .
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
