North-East recreation trail
I RECENTLY had the great pleasure of riding on part of the North-East Rail Trail.
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I write to you to strongly urge you and your readers to support the extension of the trail from Scottsdale to Launceston.
By delightful coincidence, about two years ago I enjoyed cycling in and around Weymouth in Dorset, England, on car-free cycle and pedestrian paths, part of which was a rail line.
Those paths are a boon to Weymouth, with many people using them and local business people reaping the rewards of those needing accommodation, food and other sustenance.
I understand that there is a proposal to extend the trail to Launceston by converting the abandoned railway track from Launceston to Scottsdale to a recreation trail for cyclists and walkers but that this proposal is currently being stymied by what, to me, appears to be a highly unrealistic proposal that is unlikely to be financially viable.
If it were to be commenced, it is unlikely to be completed and it will cater only for relatively few people and will be to the detriment of most local businesses.
As a small business person and a lover of Tasmania, having visited many times, I believe that the extended trail would be another jewel in the crown of Tasmanian tourism.
I support the speedy implementation of the North-East recreation trail.
David Brigden, Lindfield, NSW.
Reinstate our Train
AS AN elderly supporter of having our train on the line from Scottsdale to Launceston, I wrote to members of Parliament.
Every letter returned to me mentioned "nostalgia" nothing of the heritage of this train line.
Perhaps a different generation from me, where I was taught to respect the hard slog of our pioneers to put things in place for the better of a community.
Knowing the history of this line I feel it needs to be preserved not only for economic benefits but for a memorial, to our pioneers.
Save our railway line for a train.
Lyn Giunta, Scottsdale.
Australian Culture
STOP muckracking and move on, Elsa (Letters, The Examiner, February 25).
Abel Tasman’s discovery in 1642 is correct by Peter Gutwein, and it’s our past, the world was a cruel conquering race in this era.
Are we proud of that? Of course not. Should today’s citizens be accountable for that? Of course not.
Let our history show England was conquered by the Romans and Vikings, Australia was conquered by England, Philippines by Spain and renamed after their King Phillip.
In every corner of the world atrocities and wars were happening and claiming land by force.
The past can never be erased, so stop using it for ill feelings and division.
Combine to make this magnificent country the best it can be, hold hands and never let it happen again.
Peter Doddy, Trevallyn.
Timeliness
WE MUST remind Grace Darling that "things are rarely what they seem" for there is indeed a time for all things.
Not only for example a "time to reap and a time to sow" but also a time for minority government and a time for its delightful and productive opposite.
Perhaps Grace will take note of the present situation in our federal government in which the Liberal Coalition holds a very slender majority, and has had to fight tooth and nail to achieve effective legislation against an opposition that plays politics by voting even against its own policies.
Grace, accept in good grace, that there is a time for a strong majority government and that time is now in Tasmania.
Len Langan, Longford.
Concord jet
WHAT an iconic piece of history we could have bought at a recent auction in the United Kingdom (if only we had the dosh).
For a mere, 63,000 British pounds one could have the 11-foot (3.35 metres) nose cone of the supersonic passenger jet of the 1970s, the Concord, sitting in our own back yard. Now that would have been a talking point.
The plane’s unusual shape and at twice the speed of sound it was everybody’s dream to fly in one and with Concord’s last commercial flight taking place on the October 23, 2003. There went our dream.
Robert Lee, Summerhill.
Television
UNLIKE some of your correspondents, I am glad that there are so many TV programs being repeated.
Continual repeats give us the chance to check on some of the words we are not quite sure of.
Reg Pontin, Hillwood.
Solar Batteries
THE German energy company Sonnel has committed to building a solar battery plant in South Australia, producing 50,000 household units and creating 540 jobs in manufacture and installation. In addition the SA government will provide $100,000 in no interest loans to households.
Why can’t we do that here?
Because Tasmanian governments have been firmly facing the past for as long as I’ve been here, albeit only 30 years.
Ed Tuleja, Meander.
School Shootings
WITH all the school shootings in America it must be asked why opponents to gun control are in favor of mass child murder.
Because that's what it is.
It's murder on a mass scale of children.
Not doing anything about it has done nothing to stop them.
The thinking that it's almost a constitutional duty to arm up had not limited the number of mass shootings.
So I ask what is it about killing large amounts of children that has such an appeal to gun lovers?
Davis Seecamp, Trevallyn.