Another reason I hate this damned country....
Discussion
Now I know I've bitched about NZ before and that's all well and good, but when you have to face the news that a family friend, someone you knew since you were an infant, was gunned down in cold blood on their own farm, you have to ask yourself what is this bloody country coming to? (see story HERE) This in the same week that our wonderful, benevolant leader Helen Clark tells us that crime is at an all-time record low in NZ and falling..... BULLSHIT..... RECORDED crime is at an all time low, the police now acknowledge that they don't even record minor crime reports such as minor burglaries, vandalism and intimidation now..... going by Helen's logic, if we abolished the police force, there would be NO recorded crime and hence there would BE no crime 
I am so angry right now..... how this could happen to such a wonderful man, on his own land, out in the middle of nowhere is beyond me.
Pawsmcgraw, I hope you read this and take note. You've always said that being out in the country away from the city keeps you out of harm's way as far as crime is concerned.... I hope this serves as a warning to all that we should never be complacent and always keep our wits about you... it seems that in NZ these days, nobody is safe anywhere
Keep those doors locked people and be safe ok?
I am so angry right now..... how this could happen to such a wonderful man, on his own land, out in the middle of nowhere is beyond me.
Pawsmcgraw, I hope you read this and take note. You've always said that being out in the country away from the city keeps you out of harm's way as far as crime is concerned.... I hope this serves as a warning to all that we should never be complacent and always keep our wits about you... it seems that in NZ these days, nobody is safe anywhere
Keep those doors locked people and be safe ok?Indeed, i saw this on the news.Its a sad time and unfortunatly paints the same picture of the world over.No where is safe anymore,there are some evil people.
I do take heart from having lived in England, Scotland and France for all my life before moving here.The actions,sights and experiences i have brought with me are on far far a different level to anything i have read or found out about in NZ.
Having had close friends murdered perhaps my views are tainted,i always try to give a balanced ,reasoned view but i do find it hard sometimes.
Myself, i've been robbed, had a knife to my throat, assaulted...and i'm never out to cause trouble.My saddest thought though remain with my very good departed pro cyclist friend Dave Rayner who whilst out on a nights entertainment was beaten so hard by a doorman it killed him.The doorman got away with no custodial sentence.
Horrific crimes happen, NZ does not feel ,seem or prove to be anything like as bad as anywhere else i've been.I hope it stays that way.
PMG Feeling sad.
get in touch if you ever get down to the Southern Alps
>> Edited by pawsmcgraw on Friday 27th August 21:03
I do take heart from having lived in England, Scotland and France for all my life before moving here.The actions,sights and experiences i have brought with me are on far far a different level to anything i have read or found out about in NZ.
Having had close friends murdered perhaps my views are tainted,i always try to give a balanced ,reasoned view but i do find it hard sometimes.
Myself, i've been robbed, had a knife to my throat, assaulted...and i'm never out to cause trouble.My saddest thought though remain with my very good departed pro cyclist friend Dave Rayner who whilst out on a nights entertainment was beaten so hard by a doorman it killed him.The doorman got away with no custodial sentence.
Horrific crimes happen, NZ does not feel ,seem or prove to be anything like as bad as anywhere else i've been.I hope it stays that way.
PMG Feeling sad.
get in touch if you ever get down to the Southern Alps
>> Edited by pawsmcgraw on Friday 27th August 21:03
Sorry to hear the loss of a family friend its the worst thing that can happen to anyone. Although having studied the news reports.... you did fail to mention the other side of the story. It seems to me there was some sort of revenge that just went too far this time. The question is why? what drives a man or women to shoot someone in cold blood? Either someone shot him because they were against culling the masses of rabbits and other animals that died too, or his land or neighbouring land was potentially tied up with the local iwi where its common for trespassers to be threatened by gun point. Happens in Northland and I and or more recent times the east coast where the maori gangs are pretty much ignored by the cops. Be interesting to see what they find if anything.
George just a word of wisdom can you stop the negative comments about NZ, you mention how much you hate this country and its kinda not giving you any favours. Teds given us this area for constructive motoring talk lets keep up our good reputation and not tarnish it.
No hard feelings though. Will catch you later am off with a mate cycling around Kumeu area, great day for trying out the new bike.
George just a word of wisdom can you stop the negative comments about NZ, you mention how much you hate this country and its kinda not giving you any favours. Teds given us this area for constructive motoring talk lets keep up our good reputation and not tarnish it.
No hard feelings though. Will catch you later am off with a mate cycling around Kumeu area, great day for trying out the new bike.
Paws: Indeed mate, I know the rest of the world's a horriffic place and I've been there, but I think you summed up my dismay when you said that you hope NZ doesn't go this way...... having lived here for a number of years I've got a litle local perspective.... things seem to be on the slide and it scares me how much this place seems to have declined in such a short space of time... obviously nowhere's going to be perfect but looking back to how things used to be you realise the this country seems to be on the slide going down...... like you I hope it doesn't go that way, but I fear it already is....gaining momentum all the time.
Kylie: Yes that's true.... this wouldn't be about the rabbit thing.... he was seen as a hero in his local community for releasing the calicivirus.... as would anyone in the faming community..... and besides, that's an issue that's long gone in the past..... It's also true his land was surrounded by Iwi land, but he always got on pretty damned well with the local Iwi, his conservation efforts in the region went more towards preserving the integrity of sacred land in the area than what anyone else had done. Indeed he had agreements with them to preserve certain areas of his own land that the Iwi considered sacred....... what probably happened was he went out to feed his lambs (which were in a pen next-door to his main equipment shed) and he disturbed someone stealing some equipment or feed and they shot him and ran. Bear in mind, this all happened within 150m of his own frontdoor, all well in from the boundaries of his property, no question of him trespassing on anyone's land at all.
As for the negative comments about NZ, I shall keep making them if this sort of thing keeps happening.... although this is a motoring forum, I know plenty of people who are UK-based keep their eyes-in on this forum to gauge how life is in NZ, and I feel events such as this give a little perspective to the romanticised view many UK people have of NZ. I've nothing personal against NZ, But I'm just like pawsmcgraw..... I don't want things to get any worse.... of course we could all be silent about it, let these things roll over us, but I can't do that... I enjoy living in NZ for the most part, as a country it's a wonderful place and I feel honoured to live here, it's just that the things that ARE wrong with this country are so easy to change and I feel so deeply frustrated that noone seems to be too fussed about fixing them.
Of course if Ted or any of the other moderators feels the need to lock or remove this thread then I respect that, it's their forum, but as I said, perhaps it just offers a different view from the one everyone sees in the glossy brochures.
PS. still looking forward to meeting you all at pukekohe tmoorrow, thus far the weather is looking good
Kylie: Yes that's true.... this wouldn't be about the rabbit thing.... he was seen as a hero in his local community for releasing the calicivirus.... as would anyone in the faming community..... and besides, that's an issue that's long gone in the past..... It's also true his land was surrounded by Iwi land, but he always got on pretty damned well with the local Iwi, his conservation efforts in the region went more towards preserving the integrity of sacred land in the area than what anyone else had done. Indeed he had agreements with them to preserve certain areas of his own land that the Iwi considered sacred....... what probably happened was he went out to feed his lambs (which were in a pen next-door to his main equipment shed) and he disturbed someone stealing some equipment or feed and they shot him and ran. Bear in mind, this all happened within 150m of his own frontdoor, all well in from the boundaries of his property, no question of him trespassing on anyone's land at all.
As for the negative comments about NZ, I shall keep making them if this sort of thing keeps happening.... although this is a motoring forum, I know plenty of people who are UK-based keep their eyes-in on this forum to gauge how life is in NZ, and I feel events such as this give a little perspective to the romanticised view many UK people have of NZ. I've nothing personal against NZ, But I'm just like pawsmcgraw..... I don't want things to get any worse.... of course we could all be silent about it, let these things roll over us, but I can't do that... I enjoy living in NZ for the most part, as a country it's a wonderful place and I feel honoured to live here, it's just that the things that ARE wrong with this country are so easy to change and I feel so deeply frustrated that noone seems to be too fussed about fixing them.
Of course if Ted or any of the other moderators feels the need to lock or remove this thread then I respect that, it's their forum, but as I said, perhaps it just offers a different view from the one everyone sees in the glossy brochures.
PS. still looking forward to meeting you all at pukekohe tmoorrow, thus far the weather is looking good
Its never hear of news like this and makes it worse when its a friend of someone I know.
I think this is different to the other posts that have been made here recently. Ive totally agreed with the other threads as theyve been about how the government is making us into a nanny state etc, stuff that negatively affects most people and should be avoided.
Whereas this is something that despite what your feeling at the moment is pretty much beyond the control of the powers that be. Yes New Zealand isnt the idealic place it was in the 1950s but I dont think thats anyones fault and you cant avoid it, theres nowhere you can move thats any better
I think this is different to the other posts that have been made here recently. Ive totally agreed with the other threads as theyve been about how the government is making us into a nanny state etc, stuff that negatively affects most people and should be avoided.
Whereas this is something that despite what your feeling at the moment is pretty much beyond the control of the powers that be. Yes New Zealand isnt the idealic place it was in the 1950s but I dont think thats anyones fault and you cant avoid it, theres nowhere you can move thats any better
As you know I've put the odd criticism of life in NZ on this forum and I'm sure nobody thinks this country is perfect as there's no such thing. There are issues in NZ that are specific to NZ (or seem to be) and they really wind me up at time but I do try (and fail sometimes!) to keep perspective.
I also know when you suffer a personal loss it can heighten any feelings you are having (after we had children for example, all those child abuse / murders that have been reported become more personal somehow) and perhaps encourage you from making statements that are controversial.
We all know you don't really hate NZ and the title of this thread is probably a bit harsh or even inappropriate.
May I take this opportunity to pass on my condolensces to you and this man's friends and family. Everyone should be allowed to feel safe and secure on their own property.
I also know when you suffer a personal loss it can heighten any feelings you are having (after we had children for example, all those child abuse / murders that have been reported become more personal somehow) and perhaps encourage you from making statements that are controversial.
We all know you don't really hate NZ and the title of this thread is probably a bit harsh or even inappropriate.
May I take this opportunity to pass on my condolensces to you and this man's friends and family. Everyone should be allowed to feel safe and secure on their own property.
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