Letters to the Editor

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 23, 4 November 1986, Page 2

Letters to the Editor

'Curious', Having recently seen several copies of the Waimarino Bulletin I am curious about the lack of 'Letters to the Editor.' In most newspapers I have seen there is usually a lively column of comment and criticism on all sorts of topics as readers 'let off steam' and express their gripes. I cannot believe the Waimarino community is so contented, complacent, un questioning or intimidated that they fail to raise issues of public concern, local and historical interest etc. in their community newspaper. There must surely be lots of local issues. decisionsand activities with which the readers of the Bulletin do not agree. Why don't we hear about them? Curious Waiouru In reply to 'Curious ' we at the Bulletin often wonder about this too. We are oware that there must be several issues concerning the communit i — for example the roatl toll.

the prevalence ofcrime, the impact of the ski season, loi'al body decisions etc. — but we seldom receive an\ correspondence on these and other matters. And of the four reasons suggested for the lack of letters — contentment, complacenc y , unquestioning acceptance and intimidation — it is certainly not the last as far as this newspaper is concerned. Infact we try to invite and encourage communit i participation by offering a 'nom-de-plume' service for local letter-writers who, because the Waimarino is such a small and interdependent community , might be penalised in their business and professional lives for holding and expressing some personally held and contentious viewpoint unrelated to that business or profession. All we ask, ifyou wanl to use a nom-de-plume, that i ou provide i our name and address (which will remain confidential) and sign your letter. Editor

'Monster', 1 should like to draw yours and your readers' attention to the documentary "Close Up", which screened last Thursday night. I feel, as 1 am sure a lot of other concerned citizens do. that a monster like John Bennett must be stopped. He should have the electric chair or at least be castrated in some painful manner. Our women cannot be allowed to exist in a state of terror. If the justice department will not take adequate steps to ensure our safety against this depraved creature then who will? Our fathers. sons. brothers, lovers and husbands would. I am sure. kill the man had they the chance but he is protected by a justice system which is hidebound by their strictly legalistic rules that allows the very evil of a man like Bennett to go free as they dutifully go by the book. Damn the rules and damn the justice system • Bennett has irrevocably been proved to be guilty and he should

never set foot on the outside streets again. If he ever does then not only will innocent women live in fear but aspiring psychopaths will feel their cause in some way applauded by our justice system. Disgusted Capricorn of Ohakune