Letters to the Editor
Woke talk
Cambridge News January 30, 2025
Woke talk: I was somewhat perplexed to read the comments of Jo Gread, Waipā District Council Governance Manager re proposed changes to meeting dates and information.
Gread is quoted as saying: “the move would ensure a focused workplace, efficiency of staff time and council resources, clear alignment with the calendar year and a commitment to strategic, effective and focused decision making”.
I am somewhat perplexed by the woke speak in her quote, but I am more perplexed to think that the council is not currently operating in this manner, and changes need to be made to do so.
Thought these processes would be fundamental for good business practice and management.
David Natzke
Cambridge
Delegated authority
Susan O’Regan
Delegated authority: Contracts of up to $10 million – in the case of urgency – are to be delegated to (Waipā) mayor Susan O’Regan and committee chairs Clare St Pierre, Liz Stolwyk, Andrew Brown and Marcus Gower.”
All the above have been party to the contracts let for the road changes and cycle paths that were rushed through before the change of government.
Geoff Boxell
Kihikihi
No reply
No reply: Thanks for the article in (Cambridge News January 30) regarding councils “behind closed doors” decision to move to Wednesday meetings. I have had some very bad luck with council over issues I have emailed them about.
I get no replies. I have talked to a councillor about this issue, and he promised he would get back to me. I sent him the information that council should see, and I got no replies again. I am not satisfied these councillors wish to be transparent with how they spend our money.
Testament to my concerns is that even though I have emailed every councillor including the mayor, I have had no replies to any of my emails. Frankly I no longer trust they are working in our best interest.
Deborah Harper
Cambridge
Bill views
Clyde Graf
Bill views: Thank you to regional councillor Clyde Graf for exposing the Waikato Regional Council’s clumsy and inappropriate submission to the Treaty Principles Bill.
The fact the submission was written by staff and not councillors highlights the weakness of some councillors to think for themselves and also their lack of understanding of the intent and wording of the Treaty. Co-governance and co-management are not referred to in the simple straight forward Treaty document.
The Article the First of the Treaty states “the Chiefs assembled including Chiefs not present at the assembly hereby cede absolutely to the Queen of England and forever the Government of all their lands”. I reference Sir Apirana Ngata, one of Maoridom’s greatest leaders and a prominent New Zealand statesman who published an explanation in 1922.
Councillors should concentrate on core responsibilities and leave politics out of it. They could however make a personal submission and avoid alienating themselves from rate payers.
Rod Wise
Leamington
Noise control
The new Cambridge Fire Siren
Noise control: As I live near the Town Hall, I am happy with the move of the siren to the top of the Fire Station.
Now the siren has moved to the centre of our town, I feel for all the businesspeople and customers who have to suffer the sound of it. I was there one day when the siren went off and we could hardly hear ourselves talking, let alone thinking.
I remember being in London during WWII and cannot forget the terror of hearing the sirens warning us of incoming V2 rockets and the inevitable carnage. Surely it is time to use modern technology and save us from this screaming siren?
Philippa Baker
Cambridge
Treasured visit
American friends for 55 years stopped off at the gala on their way through to Napier. From left Anita and Alan Newman from San Diego and Anita and Gene Sorkin, now of Auckland but originally from Inglewood, Califor-nia. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Treasured visit: While driving our visiting friends from the US (Alan and Anita Newman from San Diego, California) to Napier, we made the wise decision to stop in Cambridge for a quick sightsee.
However, the quick sightsee turned into an afternoon’s worth of fun as we happened across the St. Andrew’s Craft Fair. What a tremendous turnout of crafts persons in stalls and hordes of eager looky-lous and customers. My wife (also named Anita) and our San Diegan Anita disappeared into the maelstrom of shoppers while Alan and I were left by ourselves wondering how we wound up alone amongst such a crowd. He is a Trump supporter, and I am anything but, but this has not soured our over 50-year friendship and leads to much laughing at each other’s political parties.
Our laugh-fest was interrupted by the return of our wives, each holding the ’treasures’ they had purchased at the fair, and we eventually took off, arriving much later in Napier than originally planned, but with some new and unplanned happy memories of Cambridge. Including some killer chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies. Let’s face it – the fair was fabulous and should be billed as a big draw for your beautiful town and we congratulate all who made it happen – including the reporter who brought it to everyone’s attention!
Gene Sorkin
Auckland, ex Inglewood, USA
Letters to Editor. Photo: Pixabay
