Letters to Editor: cruises, supercars, diatomite

Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including the possibility of a cruise ship in the Milford Sound, council subsidising supercars in Central Otago, and diatomite deposits.

Not sure we’re ready for this cruise possibility

There is an aspect of cruise ship activity in the Milford Sound area which seems to be being completely ignored. Aside from the environmental dangers of visual and actual pollution to this pristine and precious landscape, there is a very real risk of a disaster of monumental proportions.

 

Imagine one of these vast moving hotels, with a passenger list of thousands, and a crew almost as great, travelling near our remote West Coast.

 

Then picture an engine breakdown, examples of which already exist in various other parts of the world, or an unexpected southerly storm, for which this coast is renowned.

 

The vessel immediately becomes helpless, at the mercy of the elements, and rapidly drifts aground, on to a remote, rugged, unfriendly and unpopulated coast.

 

How quickly would help arrive? Helicopters, if they could even fly under the conditions, would be like the boy with his finger in the dyke.

 

Any vessels immediately available in the area are small and inadequate.

 

Tugboats could take up to 12 hours or more to reach the area, and if conditions are bad, as they frequently are, they would find it difficult if not impossible to help a vessel in trouble or effect a rescue of passengers in large numbers.

 

Picture thousands of mostly elderly people, panicked, freezing cold, possibly injured, unable to help themselves.

 

Maybe it will never happen. What are the odds?

 

As tourist numbers increase, so does the likelihood of such an incident.

 

Does New Zealand want or need such an incident? Just food for thought.

 

 

 

Congratulations Nigel McKinlay. He is the only Central Otago district councillor with any sense.

 

Why should I as a Central Otago ratepayer pony up part of $250,000 to have the supercars come to town?

 

It's a private business. It makes a profit. It does not need a ratepayer subsidy.

 

If supercars comes to Cromwell, the town's accommodation and hospitality providers will do well.

 

Good for them. They already pay the council a decent whack in commercial rates.

 

The latest Central Otago District Council (CODC) annual report shows a surplus in the 2024 year of $8.7million  on revenue of just under $80m.

 

That does not require a 23% rates increase.

 

Let's welcome the Supercars. But like the rest us they should be paying their own way.

 

Did the CODC not get the latest government memo on sticking to the basics?

 

The diatomite deposits found at Foulden Maar (ODT, 24.12.24) were not going to be used for dog food but for the following.

 

Diatomite possess very good absorption rates so was in this case, primarily suited to be used in "kitty litter" trays for the use of indoor pets' toileting.

 

It is also to be used to clean up liquid waste found in the bilges of maritime vessels. 

 

This was made known to me by Mike Williams, at that time residing in Ravensbourne.

 

I saw the results of scientific tests he had done on the samples he provided but nothing further eventuated from this. Then I was made aware  the mining company, Plaman Resources, was interested.

 

Again, nothing was done to mine this resource because of the later failure of this company.

 

I was a geology student when I became aware of the fossil significance found in this this geological maar (a low volcanic crater formed by many shallow eruptions and may contain at times a crater lake).

 

This was achieved primarily through the comments, actual scientific work, and a few visits to the site accompanying the late Ewan Fordyce and Daphne Lee.

 

Both these geology professors must be acknowledged in their initial endeavours in saving this global location of historical, well-preserved, fossil deposits. 

 

Worth preserving and researching, yes.