My Account
Hill Street queues
I was hoping through the letters to the editor I could promote my book Hill Street Queues. The book follows my true-life experience of marrying my childhood sweetheart, having two children and six grandchildren, all while queuing to get to Hill Street. Netflix has already shown an interest in making this a true-life drama if I can introduce some zombies into the story. Auckland Transport managers were reluctant in the beginning to be part of this story, which I can fully understand, imagine the utter confusion to them when the director says “action”. As 2021 is the 100th year celebration of the first and only design of the Hill Street intersection, we should acknowledge that it was an English touring comedian that designed it on the back of a napkin in a local hostelry after being stuck in traffic there. The architect was Benny Hill, it was suggested the intersection should be named after him as this has been by far one of his best jokes. Spoiler alert: my book does finish with Hill Street being fixed and 75,000 men a day having to find somewhere else to pick their nose. Sorry that was a stretch too far … Hill Street fixed?
Chas Benest, Snells Beach
Humongous reservoir
So I went along to the continued hearing into the Mangawhai Central development at the Mangawhai Public Library Hall on Wednesday, February 2. Much was made of a 100,000 cubic metre reservoir, which will solve all the private and commercial needs of the amended plan change, and even have enough over to “help locals awaiting water delivery over dry summers”. I applied a little School Certificate volumetrics and estimated the hall we were sitting in would accommodate 200 cubic metres of water, give or take. This reservoir would then be 500 times the size of the community hall. Yes, 500! Mention was made of this reservoir being “broken” into several smaller reservoirs. It would need to be if the people up Tara Road don’t want a Taj Mahal-sized concrete tank towering over them. Or the folks in Old Waipu Road. Or will it be underground? Better start digging, Mangawhai Central. Oh, and you may need resource consent from China as well if you impinge into their territory. Or will it be a lovely crystal, swimmable lake, put … somewhere? And will there be public notification and a submission process for this reservoir, or will it be a discretionary activity not needing that?
L Munro, Wellsford.
For Mahurangi Matters’ coverage of the hearing.
Inspiring story
Hi, my name is Bob Ross. I’m 12 years old and I have been assigned to give my opinion on your article Kids get creative with junk (MM Jan 13). I loved the ideas, and I’m sure this will inspire more people to recycle and reuse. It’s the best article I have read in a long time. You are a great influence to the people around the world. Next time if you make an article like this, please add a couple of pictures. It’s those that attract children like me. I wish I could have been there.
Bob Ross, North Shore
