Letters, February 5: Time in jail costs more

Te Hurihanga is to have its funding cut by the Government. Eight graduates they say have each cost $630,000 to put through the programme. I understand another 10 are about to graduate, making the $5 million spent over the past three years an average of a figure closer to $300,000 each graduate. Compare this with a life of crime. If those 18 graduates were to continue to offend and be incarcerated in prison an average of 10 years each, the savings made would be considerable.

I am being generous, most would probably spend closer to 20 years in prison before they matured and ceased getting caught. Then there is the hidden cost of crime on the community, which cannot be under-estimated.

Sometimes we have to invest to save money in the long term and $5m spent now has saved us millions over the next 10 to 20 years.

This decision by the Government is short-sighted. The question they should be asking is: how can we open up similar initiatives based on employing skilled, qualified, professional staff and based on good, sound research, around the country? Not closing down a successful programme on a political whim.

Another great decision by National/ACT.

M MILDON

Hamilton

 

MPs fail Hamilton

The Waikato/Hamilton MPs – what a couple of nonentities. What are their policy positions? They never comment. Seen and not heard is their mode of operation.

So far our MPs have only been against things good for Hamilton – railway, Te Hurihanga, continuance of ACE classes, and so on. Talk about the forgotten province.

Now the closing of Te Hurihanga – shutting down a programme which is the best in the world, is working and has taken five years to put together to get staff and buildings. After lots of concerns by neighbours, there is acceptance and even help of the neighbours.

National misleads when it says it costs $600,000 per person – nowhere is any programme costed by including the cost of a new building.

National's reputation is now of politicians who dissemble and never again can I believe what National says.

This programme is cost-effective when it turns these recidivists into good members of society. A lifetime in prison also carries an enormous cost to the victims and society, and we pay for extra security.

That taxi driver killed – what will that cost society?

Te Hurihanga's real cost per annum is actually just over $120,000. We need the truth from politicians.

FRANKIE LETFORD

Hamilton

 

Do we care?

I was surprised and disappointed by the circumstance associated with a traffic incident involving my daughter at 8.45am recently at a roundabout at the junction of Cobham Dr and Cambridge Rd in Hamilton.

A truck and trailer unit rammed the back of the small blue Toyota Corolla hatchback she was driving and shunted her into Cambridge Rd resulting in minor physical injuries and major vehicle damage. Not only did the truck driver not stop and check on the damage and injury he had caused but no other driver demonstrated the concern or courtesy to stop and check whether this obviously distressed 16-year-old girl was OK.

I discussed the incident with other family members, staff colleagues and friends after the event and there was common concern the truck driver did not show the common decency and sense of responsibility to own up to his driving error and the consequences of his actions.

Of even greater concern was the apparent disdain shown by the general driving public for the support needs of a distressed young driver following a significant accident. Surely when we take on the responsibility of owning and driving a vehicle there are some assumed ground rules of behaviour we should expect to offer and receive. (Abridged)

CHRIS HARRIS

Hamilton

 

Lost property

We came back to New Zealand recently after a long and exhausting flight from India.

In the melee of opening bags for inspections, the X-ray machines and getting into the shuttle, one of our cabin bags was left behind.

We drove back to Hamilton and, being jetlagged, we all hit the sack and surfaced later in the afternoon to deal with the luggage and noticed a cabin bag was missing.

After double-checking everything we rang Auckland International Airport and within a few minutes were told the bag was with them and they gave us a reference number. We drove first thing the next morning to get the bag. What was special about this was not just that someone found the bag and handed it in. This bag had all my jewellery – gold and diamonds – starting from my wedding day to cosmetic jewellery of modern times.

Not even the smallest ring given to my son by his grandfather on his first birthday was missing. I want to thank all those nameless people who looked after the bag for their simple kindness.

I also believe this would have happened nowhere else in the world except New Zealand. We are proud to call this place home. (Abridged)

MALATHI VASUDEVAN

Hamilton

 

Disturbed life

I wish we were informed of the mentally ill brought into our neighbourhood.

We became aware of the problem through hearing yelling and the sound of breaking glass.

After the police investigated, we were informed it was because of a mentally ill person. But does that make it all right? Certainly not.

We have since been disturbed at odd hours by heavy banging and have been woken at 3 or 4am some days because of this state run house.

One patient emerged and began banging his head on a parked car in the street while being pursued around it by a minder.

On another occasion a minder was struggling on the driveway trying to subdue a patient to try to get him back inside the house.

These are not illnesses like phobias or depression, but serious anti-social conditions that cause concern for safety. These people should be in more secure units where they don't worry young and defenceless folk and damage residential property and life.

I believe neighbours should, at the least, be informed in situations such as these.

IAN MURPHY

Hamilton

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