To the Editor
I regularly walked passed a jujube bush, growing on hallowed ground. During summer I partook of the fruit, stolen I guess!
It has now gone.
30th August. Council workers were in River Street Taree, along side St John’s Church. A jujube bush was healthy and in full flower.
31st August. The jujube bush was wilted, crooked and propped by 2 steely posts. Tyre marks showed the bush had been run over.
by the afternoon of the same day the steely posts had either gone on strike, become tired or lazy and had lain down. They had taken the bush with them. The council had been contacted several times re this situation.
2nd September. Imagine my surprise and dismay when I noticed the site had been cleaned up, bush and posts had gone. I had planned on removing the posts. I felt 2 steely posts in exchange for nearly $2,000 in rates was fair.
So, what happened?
Scenario 1. A very naughty truck took off by itself, drove onto the church property and wilfully knocked down the jujube bush.
Scenario 2. This idea is even more outlandish. Council workers drove over said bush and didn’t stop until another shrub was hit and damaged. There was no logical reason for the workers to have driven onto the private property. The tracks indicate the truck was reversing.
How could this be? Where was the spotter? Surely our council workers would never operate without following OH and S rules.
Oh no!! Bight cemetery and the flintwood tree incidents in Wingham come to mind.
Unfortunately if any of these ‘vandalistic’ style incidents are ‘healed’ it will be our rate money used.
Trish Congreve
Taree