YouSay

Sand mining clarification

We believe that the title and initial paragraphs of the story, DOC signals support for offshore mining at Pakiri (MM Feb 28), misrepresent the situation and the Department of Conservation’s actions in regards to the resource consent applications for sand mining.

Any reference or implication that DOC “supports” the offshore proposal is incorrect.

DOC has significant concerns about the impact of sand extraction on the coastal environment in the embayment, which is a vital habitat for the critically endangered tara iti/ NZ fairy tern population.

DOC does not support any of the three applications for sand mining. Appeals on all three applications have now been joined together by the Environment Court and will be heard over several weeks starting in May. DOC is a party to these appeals.

The s274 notice to the court is in opposition to the McCallum Brother’s appeal against Auckland Council’s decision to refuse consent for the coastal permit. DOC will not be commenting further on this case ahead of the Environment Court decision on the matters.

To reiterate, the Department of Conservation does not support any of the three applications for sand mining and we have significant concerns about the impact of sand extraction on the coastal environment in the embayment.

Nicole Steven, media and communications advisor, Department of Conservation

Defending a native

I greatly admire Colin Smith as a plainspeaking, hardworking Local Board member, who obviously has the good of his community at heart. However, I must take exception to a comment in his Viewpoint column (MM Feb 27).

His claim that mangroves are introduced to New Zealand, an opinion held by many others, is not correct. Our mangrove (Avicennia marina subspecies australasica) that grows in harbours and estuaries in the northern half of the North Island, also grows in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Lord Howe Island. This does not mean that it has been introduced from Australia. It arrived in New Zealand under its own steam, probably thousands of years ago, so it is an indigenous plant.

This is verified by the fact that it was collected here on the second voyage of Captain Cook by botanist Josef Forster. The subspecies name australasica translates as meaning that it belongs to Australasia, i.e. New Zealand and Australia.

The controversy as to which came first, the sediment or the mangroves, will no doubt continue.

Maureen

Young, Warkworth

Dog ban Snells Beach

I refer to the article Stop pussyfooting around (MM Feb 27) and quote from the article:

“pet cats are quietly decimating the population of NZ native birds”; “cats are the major problem”; “although vulnerable to other predators, storms and human disturbances …. Pet cats roaming at night do the most damage”; “at Snells Beach cats attacked their (dotterels) nests”; RRE chairman, “pet cats were the main culprits”; and “camera footage shows that only domestic cats are involved, not stoats, rats, wild cats, gulls or any other predator”. There is no mention of dogs being any part of the problem.

So would the Auckland Council, Snells Shoreline Conservation Community and other bird protectors please advise the justification for the 24 hour, 7 day-a -week dog ban on the northern end of Snells Beach from September 2 to March 27 for the past five years?

The dog ban has not been effective and has had zero impact on improving the dotterel population. Omaha and a large number of upper North Island beaches are home to dotterels and other NZ native birds, but only Snells Beach has the 24/7 dog ban. Hopefully common sense will prevail and the special dog ban will be removed.

John Richards, Snells Beach Tudor

Story Continued

The photograph reproduced in your History column (MM Feb 27) drew my attention immediately. This photo appears in the book written by AH Reed and my uncle Tudor Washington Collins, and I have been familiar with it for most of my life. He was a larger than life presence in our lives. I was my mother’s youngest child, so Uncle Tudor had pretty much retired by the time I became aware of him, and a visit from Uncle Tudor was always an event. We often spent holidays at Uncle Tudor’s bach at Waikauri Bay, and later, when I used to come up to dive or fish around Leigh or Mathesons Bay, I would always drop in to see him at his house in Mill Lane in Warkworth.

It was a bit of an adventure to go into his living room – trophies from deer stalking, deep sea fishing and, of course, piles of newspapers and photos filled every available surface! He was an expansive, generous man, with a penchant for those enormous American cars of the 60s and early 70s. They barely fitted up our drive in Disraeli Street in Mt Eden.

Having this background of knowledge and affection, I read the article with interest, and growing dismay! The numbers are

“We have had offers of help from all over the country and are grateful for everyone’s support. There are many who certainly need it.”

The Mayoral Relief Fund may be used to allocate one-off payments to individuals, families, community organisations, marae and small businesses in Kaipara that have suffered severe hardship or damage as a result of the cyclone.

Donations are also being accepted in the following account: 02-0308-0090743-002.

Drivers needed

The Warkworth RSA is looking for more volunteer drivers to help transport its members to and from hospital and medical appointments. The RSA provides the vehicles and covers all costs, so drivers are only asked to provide their time. If you can assist or would like more information, contact Sherryl on 425 8568.

wrong – not what we expect of an article under a general heading of history! My grandmother had 16 children, of whom Tudor was number 15, and my mother Ada, was number 16. The numbers are actually a bit more impressive than that as my grandfather had had six children before marrying my grandmother, so my Mum was the 22nd child. Tudor was her older brother, I think by about seven years. She was very fond of Tudor, and I can remember her telling me of the times when Tudor would protect her from the casual bullying she experienced from time to time.

It’s interesting also that the article omits a lot of the other interesting stuff that he was involved in. For instance, the Jane Gifford, which his brother owned for a while, and made Tudor work on, mining shingle and taking it down to Auckland, or that there is a wing of the Kauri Museum at Matakohe that is named for him.

Peter Mullins, Snells Beach