LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Porta Potti support The Motor Caravanner welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be emailed to: chris@spoton.net.nz or post to: Letters to the Editor, PO Box 302 685, North Harbour, North Shore 0751
However, to ensure that as many members as possible are able to share ƚŚĞŝƌ ǀŝĞǁƐ͕ ůĞƩĞƌƐ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ŶŽƚ ĞdžĐĞĞĚ 220 words. >ĞƩĞƌƐ ŵƵƐƚ ĐĂƌƌLJ ƚŚĞ ĂƵƚŚŽƌ͛Ɛ ŶĂŵĞ ĂŶĚ membership number. Noms de plume are not accepted and names will only be withheld in special circumstances, at ƚŚĞ ĚŝƐĐƌĞƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĚŝƚŽƌ͘ >ĞƩĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ not normally acknowledged and may be edited, abridged or discarded.
Porta Potties / ǁŽƵůĚ ůŝŬĞ ƚŽ ƌĞƉůLJ ƚŽ ŚƌŝƐƟŶĞ ^ŝůǀĞƐƚĞƌ #67008 regarding her thoughts on the use of WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫĞƐ͘ ,Ğƌ ĞdžĂĐƚ ǁŽƌĚƐ ǁĞƌĞ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ǁĂŝƚ ǁŚŝůĞ ͚ŚƵďďLJ ĚŝŐƐ ƚŚĞ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫ ŽƵƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƵŶĚĞƌŶĞĂƚŚ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ĐůŽďďĞƌ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƚ͛ ĂŶĚ take them inside to use. ůƐŽ ƐŚĞ ƚŚŝŶŬƐ ŵŽƐƚ ǁŝůů ƚĂŬĞ ƚŚĞ ůĂnjLJ ŽƉƟŽŶ ʹ / assume she means go behind a bush. ŽŶ͛ƚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ƌĞĂůŝƐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ Ă ^ĞůĨͲ ŽŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ ĞƌƟĮĐĂƚĞ ŽƵƌ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫĞƐ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ďĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ĨŽƌ ƵƐĞ Ăƚ Ăůů ƟŵĞƐ ʹ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƚŚĞ greatest majority of us do. Why do some people have such a bad opinion of those of us that have them? Phil Aberhart #37802
Composting toilets /Ĩ ĂŶĚ ǁŚĞŶ ŽƵƌ ĞůĞĐƚĞĚ ŬŶŽǁͲŝƚͲĂůůƐ ĐŚĂŶŐĞ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŽŝůĞƚƐ͕ ǁŚĂƚ ĂďŽƵƚ ĐŽŵƉŽƐƟŶŐ ƚŽŝůĞƚƐ͍ dŚĞƌĞ ŵƵƐƚ ďĞ ŵĂŶLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞƐĞ ŝŶ ƵƐĞ ŝŶ campers, so are they considered to be ‘portable ƚŽŝůĞƚƐ͍͛ tĞ ƵƐĞ ŽŶĞ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ ŚŽŵĞ ĂŶĚ ŝĨ ŝƚ͛Ɛ ŐŽŽĚ enough for a local council to approve consents for them, surely they are good enough in a ŵŽďŝůĞ ŚŽŵĞ ʹ ĂŶĚ LJĞƚ ũƵƐƚ ĂƐ ƉŽƌƚĂďůĞ ĂƐ Ă portable toilet. >ŝŶĚƐĂLJ DŽƌƚŽŶ ηϴϴϭϵϰ
/ƚ ǁĂƐ ŚĞĂƌƚĞŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƌĞĂĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƚĞƐƚ >ĞƩĞƌƐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĚŝƚŽƌ ƐĞĐƟŽŶ ;The Motor Caravanner #356) that there are others who have the same ĐŽŶĐĞƌŶƐ ƌĞŐĂƌĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĚŝīĞƌŝŶŐ ŝĚĞĂƐ ŽĨ ĮdžĞĚ ƚŽŝůĞƚƐ ǀĞƌƐĞƐ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫĞƐ ĂƐ ǁĞ do. However, it is hard to fathom as to where ŵĞŵďĞƌ ŚƌŝƐƟŶĞ ^ŝůǀĞƐƚĞƌ ηϲϳϬϬϴ ŝƐ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ from; we therefore would like to answer her three points. hZ' E z ʹ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ Ă ƉƌŽďůĞŵ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ ǀĂŶ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫ ŝƐ ƐĞƚ ƵƉ ŝŶ ŝƚƐ ŽǁŶ ďŽdž ƚŚĂƚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ accessed if the urgent need arises. WZ/s z ʹ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ĐƵƌƚĂŝŶ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƋƵŝĐŬůLJ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ ƉƌŝǀĂĐLJ Ăƚ ĂŶLJ ƟŵĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ if the toilet is needed. > /E ^^ ʹ ǁĞ ĂďƐŽůƵƚĞůLJ ĂƌĞ ŶŽƚ ůĂnjLJ ǁŚĞŶ ĨĂĐĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ŶĞĞĚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƵƐĞ ƚŚĞ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫ ĂŶĚ ƚĂŬĞ ƐŽŵĞ ŽīĞŶĐĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĂƚ premise. tĞ ĚŽ ĂŐƌĞĞ ǁŝƚŚ ŚƌŝƐƟŶĞ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞ ƐŚŽƵůĚ support whatever it takes to reduce the amount of fouling of our roadsides and scenic areas. Ƶƚ ǁĞ ƚŚŝŶŬ ƚŚĂƚ ƚĂƌŐĞƟŶŐ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ǁŝƚŚ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫĞƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ǀĂŶƐ ŝƐ wrong. As an aside, we wonder how many more ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ǁŽƵůĚ ũŽŝŶ ƵƐ ĂƐ ƐĞĐŽŶĚͲ class members (without complaint) if the 'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐĞƐ ƉůƵŵďĞĚ ƚŽŝůĞƚƐ ŽŶůLJ͕ just a thought. ŽůůĞĞŶ Θ tĂƌƌĞŶ :ĞīƌĞLJ ηϱϲϭϰϲ
Alarming comments I was alarmed by comments in The Motor Caravanner ƚŚĂƚ ĂƐƐƵŵĞ Ăůů ŶŽŶͲĮdžĞĚ ůŽŽƐ ĂƌĞ ďƵƌŝĞĚ ďĞŶĞĂƚŚ ͚Ăůů ƚŚĞ ĐůŽďďĞƌ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƚ͛͘ tĞ͛ǀĞ ƉƌĞƩLJ ŵƵĐŚ ĂůǁĂLJƐ ĨƌĞĞ ĐĂŵƉĞĚ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ travels, even with our three kids ‘back in the ĚĂLJ͛ ĂŶĚ ǁŚĂƚ Ă ďůĞƐƐŝŶŐ ŽƵƌ ŵŽƚŽƌŚŽŵĞƐ ŚĂǀĞ been for our family development and personal ƐĂŶŝƚLJ͘ &Žƌ ƵƐ ƚŽ ůŽƐĞ ŽƵƌ ǀĂůƵĞĚ ƐĞůĨͲĐŽŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ ĐĞƌƟĮĐĂƟŽŶ ŝƐ ǀĞƌLJ ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐĂĚĚĞŶƐ us immensely. KƵƌ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ĐĂŵƉĞƌ ŝƐ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ŽǁŶ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ /z͛Ě ŝŶƚŽ Ă ůŽŶŐͲďŽĚLJ ϮϬϬϴ &ŽƌĚ dƌĂŶƐŝƚ͘ /ƚ ŚĂƐ ŽŶůLJ solar and diesel energy sources, fresh and ŐƌĞLJ ƚĂŶŬƐ ĂŶĚ Ă ŶŽŶͲĮdžĞĚ ƚŽŝůĞƚ͘ dŽ ŵĞĞƚ ŽƵƌ design we just could not avoid the rear wheel ĂƌĐŚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐŚŽǁĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞƌĞĨŽƌĞ ŶŽ ĐĂƐƐĞƩĞ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ŽƉƟŽŶ͘ /ƚ ŝƐ Ă ďĞĂƵƟĨƵů ϳϱϬŵŵ dž ϵϱϬŵŵ
footprint bathroom/shower with permanent ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ĨŽƌ Ăůů ƵƌŐĞŶƚůLJ ƉƌŝǀĂƚĞ ĂŶĚ ƉŽƚĞŶƟĂůůLJ embarrassing moments. We even have lights, a fan and it is available 24/7. tĞ ƐƵīĞƌ ƚŚĞ ŵŝŶŽƌ ŚĂƐƐůĞ ĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ŝƚ ĂŶĚ ǁŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ ůŽǀĞĚ ĂŶ ĞĂƐLJ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ĐĂƐƐĞƩĞ͕ but this has had to be our compromise and it ǁŽƌŬƐ ũƵƐƚ ĮŶĞ͘ ^ƵƌĞůLJ ŝƚ ĚŽĞƐ ŶŽƚ ŵĂŬĞ ƵƐ ĂŶLJ less suitable or responsible as freedom campers ĞŶũŽLJŝŶŐ ŽƵƌ ŵŽĚĞƐƚ ŚŽŵĞͲŽŶͲǁŚĞĞůƐ͍ /Ĩ ĂŶLJ further course of appeal is possible we would ĐůĞĂƌůLJ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ engagement. ƌƵĐĞ Θ :Ž &ĂƌůĞLJ ηϭϴϱϲϯ
NOT a ‘moan and groan’ letter We have been members for 17 years. 10 LJĞĂƌƐ ĂŐŽ ǁĞ ͚ĚŽǁŶƐĐĂůĞĚ͛ ƚŽ Ă dŽLJŽƚĂ ,ŝ ĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĮdžĞĚ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŐŽƚ ƵƐ ŽƵƌ ^ĞůĨͲ ŽŶƚĂŝŶŵĞŶƚ ĞƌƟĮĐĂƚĞ ĞǀĞƌLJ ƟŵĞ͘ We are deeply disappointed about the decision ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ŵĂĚĞ ƌĞ ƚŚĞ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫĞƐ͘ tĞ ŚĂǀĞ ďĞĞŶ ƉƌŽƵĚ ƚŽ ͚ŇLJ ƚŚĞ ǁŝŶŐƐ͛ ĂŶĚ ďĞ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƐƵĐŚ Ă ĮŶĞ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶ͘ &ŝŶĂŶĐŝĂůůLJ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ŝŶ ŶŽ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƵƉŐƌĂĚĞ ;ĂƐ some members so condescendingly suggested). We are pensioners on NZ Super. Where is the friendliness, kindness and ĐŽƵƌƚĞƐLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ͚ŽůĚ ƟŵĞƐ͛ ŐŽŶĞ͕ ǁĞ wondered? KƵƌ ŶĞdžƚ ǀĂŶ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐ ;ŝĨ ǁĞ ǁŝŶ >ŽƩŽͿ͕ ǁĞ ǁŝůů ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ ŚĂǀŝŶŐ Ă WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫ͕ ƐƚĂLJŝŶŐ at DOC sites by preference, campgrounds, and freedom camping where we are allowed, ďƵƚ ƐĂĚ ƚŽ ƐĂLJ ǁĞ ǁŽŶ͛ƚ ďĞ E D ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ĂŶLJ ůŽŶŐĞƌ ĂŌĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ƐĞůĨͲĐŽŶƚĂŝŶŵĞŶƚ runs out. /Ɛ ƚŚŝƐ ǁŚĂƚ ϱϬϬϬ ŽƚŚĞƌ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐͬ users will be forced to do? Come on NZMCA, we should be able to do ďĞƩĞƌ͖ ĮŶĚŝŶŐ Ă ǁŽƌŬĂďůĞ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ ƵƐ smaller van users (by choice!) and caravan users ʹ ŶŽƚ ũƵƐƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ďŝŐ rigs. DĂƌŐŽ Θ /ůĂŶĂ ĞĐƌŽŌ ηϮϱϲϳϯ
Porta Potti irrationality tĞ ŚĂǀĞ ďĞĞŶ ĨƌĞĞĚŽŵ ĐĂŵƉĞƌǀĂŶŶĞƌƐ ĨŽƌ Ϯϱ LJĞĂƌƐ͘ KƵƌ WŽƌƚĂ WŽƫ ŝƐ ŝŶ ŝƚƐ ŽǁŶ ƐĞƉĂƌĂƚĞ
Faster reliable broadband for your motorhome or caravan Call 0800 101 143 or sign up at nzmca.org.nz/nzmca-data
136 | The Motor Caravanner
´ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ ŽŶ ƉĂŐĞ ϭϯϴ
