Abuse in the Neighbourhood
Didn't think quick enough late yesterday afternoon. Perhaps it was the cold weather or a Corgi that just wanted to keep going.
Walking past a little 9-10 year old, innocent-looking bare footed and thin school green coloured shirted sleeveless boy who was favouring his arm and shoulder and crying and shivering. So I enquired if he was alright and he shyly said no. He said he had been kicked out of his home after he agreed with me his father had bashed him. Later he said his mother was also at home. He denied he had done anything wrong. He said he had nowhere to go and no close by people he knew.
I told him that he should talk to a teacher that he likes at his school and the teacher will surely do something for him because most teachers are good like that and they have contact details and maybe history.
I was about to take him to my home get him warmed and drive him to his home. But I hesitated. Later my wife said if I had brought a complete stranger child home I could have been accused of being involved in pedophilia.
I chose not to walk with him to his home and confront a maybe vicious, drugged parent and later the child would probably suffer the consequences for bringing another person into the "fray".
Maybe he was not guiltless as he said and looked and did do something to raise the ire of his parent/s. But of course physical reaction on children is outlawed in NZ.
I suppose I could have phoned the police and wait around for ages for them to turn up. In the end I left the poor kid sitting on the wet grass underneath a Totara tree in The Reserve.
Poll: Do you mind when neighbours leave freebies on the street?
Some spare wood, used furniture or children's toys - do you mind when your neighbours leave goods on the street for others to make use of?
Share your thoughts in the comments and poll below.
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83.2% It's fine!
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14.9% It annoys me!
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
ALEXANDER ROAD SPEED LIMIT
Alexander Road in Trentham-Wallaceville of which 50% separates a golf course from a military encampment enclosure and the rest has mostly high fenced off industrial and residential areas on both sides, should have a 70km speed restriction.
Only a short time ago the road had a 80lm restriction and was reduced to a pedestrian 50km much to the frustration of many. It has never been an accident prone stretch of road.
The several round-abouts ensure speed is reduced to 30-40km when these things occur.
I recently stayed a few days in Feilding - often given the title of the best town in NZ - and one of the lengthy main streets has a 70km speed restriction despite a predominance of unfenced residential properties on both sides.
Bees and insects
The fruit trees are in blossom but where are the bees? A few bumblebees but nothing else?
We seem to have a crisis for some reason. I see in the UK where they actually keep records, 80% of butterflies are in decline, 42% of bees and hoverflies are also in decline since the 1980's, and in another survey all flying insects in the UK are down 60% between 2004 and 2021.Even earthworms in the UK are down 30% in 25 years. Perhaps we are the same? Anyway - no fruit on our trees this summer I guess.
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