In the past we have had some strong Alternative Views from Emerson such as Increase the drink drive limit, Bring back DDT, Eco sanctuaries are a fad, Chlorinate all the water, Who cares about a few impure waterways and Fresh water allowed to go out to sea is a criminal waste.
Such views are always going to receive robust reply but with this one I fear even the old school are likely to be feeling a tad uncomfortable.
Emerson demonises fishing by calling the activity elite. It is not. It is open to all and for very little cost its lack of elitism is an integral part of what is good about this country.
Elitism is defined by which school your kids go to in Christchurch, how much your house is worth in Auckland or mounting one’s hunter and saying “get orf my land” to those still afoot or below the level of the eye.
Sadly, there is a new elitism – those with water and those without. It is causing palpable friction.
He then moves on to render a fishing group in Wairarapa unimportant and insignificant. He does this by estimating the numbers of licence holders through jaw-dropping assumption. At least he is honest enough to let us know that he’s done it.
So let’s hear from Fish and Game’s Bryce Johnson. What are the numbers of licence holders in the area and what were the additional numbers of 24-hour licence holders during this long weekend that we have just enjoyed?
So the Greens “iniquitously oppose measures to help communities mitigate climate change”.
As a Green I agree with him but on one point. We have got it wrong on genetic modification.
My farm is dry. It would cost a few million to put in an irrigation scheme and up to $2000 a hectare to run it.
I don’t care how seed is bred. Those Frankenstein Food eco-warriors are a bunch of misled weekend crop terrorists but if the wheat and barley that I grow show extreme drought-tolerance through breeding then the need for irrigation is removed.
This will be of enormous benefit to the economy, the environment and water quality and availability for all.
Emerson is also being a little expansive with the truth when he says that “an irrigated community has two to three times the income of one that isn’t irrigated”.
I have consistently, cheaply and profitably grown wheat on my farm at Rakaia at a relatively modest nine tonnes a hectare average.
To triple the income, the yield would need to reach 27 tonnes. And that is assuming that the extra yield will not reduce the price. The reality is that yield is not achievable, the surplus will drop the price and my costs will go up considerably.
Emerson’s favourite words and lines in the column are “extreme arrogance, I’m irritated, they ignore the facts, it is facile and it’s ridiculous”.
I suggest he jumps a page and writes From the Pulpit because his highly affronted style is more suited there and is less likely to be taken seriously or used against us.
Andrew Luddington
Christchurch
