I was thinking the other day about budgeting something I carried out in the past, and I soon got around to thinking about what today is actually regarded a necessity for any family, and what comes under the heading of a luxury item. And over time how our perception of this has changed greatly. The first item that comes to mind is the refrigerator. Back when it first arrived on to the domestic scene. What a boon it was to families, especial in Summer when it was always a problem to store our perishables, even for a couple of days. No more melted or spoiled butter, soured milk, tainted meat. Suddenly all these worries were all over. But it’s arrival into the domestic scene, signalled many other subtle charges that were not initially obvious. Remembering back to before the home refrigerator, the first thing that happened to our daily milk on it’s arrival, was that it was scalded. Nothing to do about the bacterial count, as far as we were concerned, This was just to extend it’s shelf life. As it was then kept in a gauze covered box, on the shady side of the house. Pasteurisation was exactly what we were doing, but commercially this came along much later, along with homogenization, and then it was packaged in glass bottles. The arrival of the refrigerator actually spelt the demise of the daily milk delivery, although we didn’t know it at the time. It also made subtle changes to our buying patterns. For this item, it would have to be a necessity and a yes.

What brought all this about was when you made a budget for someone, where today do you draw the line? Our kids were still young when we were able to scrape together enough cash, to make our first purchase of a refrigerator. But it meant at the time, we had to forgo our floor coverings that we had been saving for. This is another lesson, ‘You can’t have everything’. However back then, a refrigerator was definitely a luxury item Time payment was popular back then too, but we had been brought up with the protocol. ‘If you didn’t have the cash’, ‘you didn’t buy the item’. Even back then in the ‘Good Old Days’ we had budgets. Some people had rather quaint ideas which persist even today. For instant, I always watched with amusement at the antics of an Aunt an Uncle on paydays, they put away various monies into their respective tins labelled for Rent, Power, groceries etc. Their system even persisted when they had plenty of money, and no longer needed to do this. Whatsoever, so long as it works, and you manage to keep out of Debt. But old habits die hard

Telephones, we managed when I was young with a coin box down at the town square. For urgent messages in times of need or family crisis, you would go to the Post Office and sent a Telegram which would be delivered to the recipients door more often than not by a boy on a bike. A very reliable fast service too. Today technology has leapt ahead and past what we regarded as a telephone. Even the kids of today carry a cell or mobile phone. Top of the line phones today, don’t come cheap either. They now have built in cameras, clock, access to the internet, The ability to TXT messages, radio, calculator, able to store a 100 or so telephone numbers, take messages, GPS ability. However, depending how you used it, a cell phone could be a much cheaper option than a land line. So this would have to be a yes too.

TV. Well we managed without one for most of our lives, even a radio didn’t arrive on the scene until I was a young boy. There wasn’t much to listen to back then, as it seemed that it was controlled by educated idiots. They were determined that we were only able to listen to ‘good’ programmes that were educational, and good music which was mainly classical, or of the type we receive today on the concert programme. They even dressed the announcers, (who you couldn’t see), in dinner suits. Seeing both radio and TV are, ‘now free to air’, and are a vital tool for information, to enjoy them you only require cheap receivers. This is also a yes. But pay TV or cable is definitely out.

This brings me to an Automatic Washing Machine. What a boon this has been to families. I know this has to be a yes also, as WINZ will even assist a beneficiary to buy one. It was also a late arrival on our domestic scene. Monday was the traditional wash day and what a day of drudgery that was. Boiling up a copper, then washing the clothes by hand on a glass wash board, using bar soap, which was hard on the hands. My mother came to our rescue. She purchased three ‘Chug Chug’ agitator Washing Machines for approximately $100 each which she gave to each of her kids, who couldn’t believe their good fortune.

Motor Vehicle, this is a tricky one, many families manage without one, and use a taxi when public transport won’t cover the particular task. Some families use their cars even to cross the road, and to drive their kids everywhere. They seem to have forgotten that most children were born with legs. However, if they were to total up exactly what the real cost of ownership is, perhaps then they may have second thoughts about ownership. Repayments, or cost of Money invested in the vehicle. Repairs and Maintenance, Registration, Insurance, and last but not the least, Gasoline. If they still wish to run a car, some serious readjustment to any budget will be required.

If we were to compare the lot of the typical beneficiary of today, with what they they now have, and enjoy, against the beneficiaries of yesteryear.,They would initially express disbelief that anyone could be so fortunate. They would have no hesitation in telling them that they were extremely lucky and in their eyes well off Yet our beneficiaries or low paid workers consider themselves poor, and on the bread line, Some have no idea of what poverty is.

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The Government has just pasted a Bill, under urgency too, to assist with the reconstruction of Canterbury. It’s called CERA which is an acronym for. Canterbury Earthquake Reconstruction Authority. Do we need it? This question is an understatement. Of course we do, that’s if we ever wish to see that Christchurch is going to be rebuilt in our lifetimes. There is such a maze of regulations out there, and unfortunately we have some people who have nothing better to do than play with these regulations, and frustrate the best endeavours of people who are actually trying do something. They have actually used these regulations, to even delay a competitors business plans for many years We have gathered up enough red tape over the last twenty years to stifle any growth here, as well for the rest of New Zealand. In fact we have more than enough to keep us busy for the next five to ten years trying to find a path through.

So if we wish to get started on rebuilding programme first it’s necessary to cut some of it away..Before the quake, to carry out anything new, we were required to find a way through a seemingly impossible series of regulations. With everyone and his uncle busy objecting, and tossing spanners into the works, just to cause delay. Some of these protesting folk would never be effected in anyway what so ever, but it doesn’t stop them from blocking any progress.

Yes, we have a council, but for me, and I’m not alone in this observation, We know very little or next to nothing about each and every one of the councillors. Apart from what we have read from a couple of ‘small flyers’ that we received in our letter box about each of them, this was just prior to the last election. It gave us only a thumbnail sketch of every person that was standing. It’s possibly that we elected some who are very good people, and some not so good. But we are stuck with some incompetent and time wasters, who got in under the fence as we had so little information about them. I suppose in the future we should be a little more diligent as they are paid a very lucrative salary which is approximately some $83,000 each per annum.

Then wham! we had our earthquake. The Mayor was smart enough to lock most of them out of the immediate decision making mode, He did what needed to be done, and he did it well,possibly aided too by his council support staff, Of course some councillors were calling out, that this wasn’t democratic.’What we need to do is make, and form committees’. When you have no power, water or sewerage, then you need action, not a lot of waffling talk from committees. If some had been allowed their way, They would have been still talking about what action needed to be taken. They would have been so busy forming committees, and sub committees, nothing would have been done.,When what was required was for someone to immediately take control, and make decisions

From what I have observed too a lot of the real work was being done by the ordinary Joe Blow. They have as always stuck their heads down and got on with the job, without any fuss or bother They have worked all hours to restore power sewerage and all the other services that we take for granted and require for comfortable living. They have been simply wonderful and have worked long hours. The other notable action was from the man in the street who rushed in to assist in very dangerous situations, to rescue people that in War Time would have warranted a medal. I did see a Maori youth captured on video, digging with his bare hands into the side of a collapsed building, ignoring the broken material hanging above him which if it gave way would have killed him, he was busy extricating buried people. Many in the same situation would just have walked away, but it makes you proud to belong to a Nation that has amongst it’s citizens such people. .

I’m still chuckling over a story Rod told me over a local businessman who had been denied entry into his premisses for some weeks. He badly needed access to retrieve his plant, so he could relocate He was able to do this as It was all portable. Unfortunately for him it was now locked up in the so called ‘Red Zone’. In total it amounted to several truck loads, but too it’s recovery was vital for their financial survival, and of course the jobs of his many employees were depended on it’s recovery. As he expected, he was caught exiting the Red Zone, with his trucks fully loaded with the said plant by the Police. They demanded him to explain how did he get past their tight cordon? Which by the way was considered impregnable. After much argy-bargy, he said he would only admit that he now had several Army Uniforms he no longer had any use for. And they were all surplus to requirements

I have just finished reading a news report about a kid so hungry that he ate a cockroach. Believe that and you will probably believe anything or there is something seriously wrong with his family. I should even go a step further and say that the reporter who posted that story should be fired, and possible legal action taken against him/her for reporting nonsense In an election year, It reeks of politicking of the worst kind. However it didn’t bother the Labour Party one whit. They immediately leapt onto attack, without pausing to investigate the background, or even seeking out the facts relating to this story Failure to do this and for sure, you will end up with egg on your face. Whenever I read such an expose’, I look for the facts, I’m too long in the tooth now to accept a lot of the garbage that these untrained oafs, dress up and call news.

What was missing was was the actual amount of benefit being paid to this family. Why were they in such dire straights? I would also want to know some details about their spending. Any excesses in Booze, cigarettes, gambling in their budget? Also, were they getting all the entitlements that they were entitled too, regarding rent etc. And, where were all the welfare folk? Or even the kids teachers? Did they not realise that they had a starving kid in their midst? There are always people thick on the ground these days who get their highs through giving, I’m sure someone out there would have been delighted to help.

As for the pension not being sufficient to live on. They were never meant to provide for luxuries. All these benefits were set by Labour when they were in power back some nine years ago, and the cost of living increases have been granted, and added on every year since. So why is the pension suddenly insufficient to live on? So if the Labour Party who have been carping in parliament about the Benefits adequacy. They seem to have forgotten that It was their party that set the amount and entitlements.

The Bay of Plenty times have done a much better job of reporting. Yes the kid was hungry, and reduced to eating cockroaches. But as it turns out it was a case of appalling neglect by the mother, and since this matter has focused attention on this family. Her children have since been taken from her, and placed into care. A lot of nonsense could have been avoided if the reporter in the first place done his/her job properly. And if the Labour Party hadn’t been so keen, to blow the story out of all proportion. Politics is a grubby business, which many times is lacking, what we all look for, and that’s the truth.

There are many agencies here involved in the game of helping lame dogs over styles. For some folk, they can’t believe their good fortune as they make their rounds, double, and even, triple dipping from the various sources,There appears that there is no liaising between the various groups, all competing with one another to give out help. In fact the systems receiving all the earthquake monies are loaded. Right now with money pouring in, they all have plenty to give away.

There is so much money and kind yet to be given out. To give you an idea of what’s available I have listed below what information that I can access with ease.

Red Cross To date $50 million raised

Christchurch Council Earthquake Appeal To Date $18 million raised (Nothing to date has been given out)

Salvation Army To date $13 million raised

Canterbury University Students. They have supplied free labour that has involved several hundred students to labour in the hardest hit suburbs. Indirectly they have raised $30,000. too. As well, Oxford University UK has given forty places to Doctorate, and Honour students, to attend their summer school.

Caritas To date $650,000 raised

As well as the above there has been some 80,000 clothing and 50,000 grocery vouchers given out. The Press reports too that to date, it would be impossible to quantify the amount of volunteer aid and labour that has been freely given. This is by wonderful folk who freelance their help and don’t belong to any organised group.

I hadn’t been into one of Christchurch’s Malls for some time, I had also heard too that many people were deliberately avoiding them as well. Lynn my daughter, like many here won’t venture into them, or any buildings that have glass ceilings since her recent experience with the earthquakes. Anyway yesterday I took my life into my hands and entered the Northlands Shopping Mall. What a shock was in store for me. There were so many people inside, all shopping or dining in the food court and clearly they weren’t at the least bothered, Actually it was hard to move about, impossible to get a seat in the food hall. This is not right I thought. Clearly these people have no inhibitions whatsoever about shopping in this environment. On examination, I was able to work out that most of the extra folk who were taking up all the dining space, were mainly teenagers. It wasn’t until it was explained to me by the checkout operator, that this was changeover time for the schools close by. Here In many cases, where one School has been damaged. Two Schools are now sharing the one set of buildings. The shifts change at about one or two o’clock in the afternoons. And how many students are involved in this Earth Quake solution I don’t know, but without a doubt, there were some thousands of kids wandering around the Northland Mall. Which they were clearly now treating as their campus. Certainly from my observation, there were many thousands involved.

The Eastern suburbs of Christchurch have problems of their own. Their rolls of the primary school students are down by 30% to 40% due to folk that have upped stakes and left the area. Many of the homes in these suburbs were rented or owned by the Government or perhaps Council. Many more too are badly damaged with liquefaction, and uninhabitable meantime. These folk are making do with Porta Loos or Chemical Toilets which is not very convenient, but what they will have to put up with until the Council can get the sewage system up and running again. What is going to happen to these areas in the future, is largely a matter of,now, wait and see?.

The University too is undergoing problems too, because access is still being denied to many of their buildings on their campus. Until they are inspected or rendered safe, access is being denied. To enable students to keep up with their lectures, a tent city has been erected on vacant or clear areas within their Campus, So many of the students are now studying under canvas. As well, some lectures are being put onto the Web, from where students can download. Roger who is employed by the University, he had planned to broadcast lectures on a redundant TV channel here in Christchurch, but so far the authorities haven’t taken his offer up

As if we haven’t had enough trouble, there is another dark cloud on the horizon and that’s the Insurance Company AMI who write about a third of all Christchurch’s Business Domestic and Motor Vehicle Insurance. The initial quake took care of most of their invested funds, as well as a good portion of the he reinsurance monies. To cover claims for the second quake, it would seem the well is now nearly empty, Unless the company can get a Government guarantee to buy reinsurance, the company is exposed and in real trouble. Personally I’m not all that worried, as I’m sure that the initial $100,000 which is the current QCD payout limit, will more than cover any damage to my home even if I have to replace the bricks. II also think the Government will underwrite the Insurance Companies as they did with the Finance Companies, if it’s time they require to trade their way out of their problem. The consequence of not assisting, would be catastrophic, and certainly deny the Government any chance of re-election.

One thing that is certain in the future the levy we all pay out to the Earthquake Commission for the whole of New Zealand is about to double. After what happened here, it must keep the authorities awake at night with the thought. ‘Should Murphy’s Law kickin’, which is,possible, and the same happens to Wellington or Auckland, that has happened here. They must be prepared. Also there must be a way of including he clowns, who don;t, or won’t, pay any insurance. At least get some earthquake cover, which is very cheap.

Travel when I was young seemed to be limited for only short journeys Perhaps it would be by Rail,which was the most popular, and our usual method of getting around on land at that time. So, if this was your choice, you could expect to be on a train pulled by a steam locomotive coupled to several coach type of carriages, some of which are still with us today, They were popular at the time, because they only required basic engineering to manufacture, and run the rolling stock. As well, the trains of this time were fuelled by coal, which was cheap, and something the Country had plenty of .

Yes there were even a few ships that called in from oversea, And these too were mainly coal fired. Back then, This Country and the rest of the world were just emerging from a severe economic recession. There was more evidence of this in the harbour if you cared to look, Out there were rafts made up of moored ships, for which there was no work, This situation was worldwide, and other Nations were in much the same situation. All were waiting for the economic situation to improve. So there was little activity in the travel industry

All this was to change for me when I turned eighteen, War had been declared, and the Government discovered that when they were prodded they could crank up the money machine, and Bingo! Suddenly the depression was declared to be over. Everyone had a job again. and just as quickly, I found myself in the services by default. I was now going to get my first real taste of travel. Some of this would be the best in the world, and some would be of the worst kind. I shortly found out that I was to leave New Zealand on a Luxury vessel of the Matson line, bound for America. Unfortunately for us, and as far as comfort and luxury went, it would be hard to find on this vessel, as some 20,000 other servicemen were also crowded on board, all looking for the same thing.

Once on board I had the full use of about four square feet of the Promenade Deck. This was where I had to live and sleep. We were each allocated a bare pipe framed bunk, which were stacked five or six high and four deep. All were, fitted with only a length of canvas to lie on, unfortunately for us, this was an open deck and exposed to the elements. I promised myself many times over on that journey I would return one day, and do it all again, properly. Further I would bathe frequently in fresh water, eat meals when I wanted, certainly not on a twelve hour roster. Sit on a deck chair in the sun, and not on my ‘life jacket’, Even summons up a cold beer from time to time while admiring the view. Anyway, it was a small price to pay to see the world. We must have been important too, as we were about to depart Wellington, the Prime Minister and his entourage even came down to the Quayside to shake our hands, and say that, ‘what we were doing for New Zealand, would not be forgotten’. It must have been a slow day in the Bee Hive.

On arrival in the USA we stepped ashore, grubby and sticky, caused by showering and washing for three weeks only in salt water. Laundry was something to worry about in the future. However at this time we fell onto our feet, right into the lap of luxury. Well anyway, for the next five days. This stage of our journey would be by train, and I had been allocated a seat in a plush Pullman Coach, and all the pampering that came with this style of travel. For instant, while we were away, ‘fine dinning’ on their ‘silver service’ in the ‘dining car’ for our evening meal. You returned, to find that a comfortable bed with a mattress had been made up for you, in what had been your compartment. For this stage of our journey, our fortunes had certainly taken a turn for the better.

It was too good to last, The worst trip I remember was on a Liberty Ship from New Caledonia to Auckland. To me it didn’t even look stable and It had a permanent list of about 30 degrees, and we went bowling along at her top speed of just under eight knots. On our earlier vessels we relied on their speed of thirty knots, to travel unescorted, and outrun any submarines. It was obvious this ship was not going to outrun anything and we were unescorted. The only accommodation on this type of vessel was in the holds, and that’s where we went. The same type of pipe bunks were fitted, only this time they were about twelve high. The holds were cavernous, ill lit, dark and dank, This would be a good description of our accommodation.

This vessel this time was under the control of the American Navy. The crew were wonderful, and went out of their way to make us comfortable and share what little they had. They even showed us a movie one night with a makeshift screen hung down from the bridge. Should we have stumbled into the path of a submarine I’m sure they would have dismissed us an apparition, or even a figment of their imagination, as we were still at war, vessels normally travelled at night, totally blacked out, and carrying no lights at all. Here we were all lit up like a Christmas tree.

If you were wondering, Yes, later in my life my wife and I did do this kind of travel again and properly. We cruised around the world on luxury liners several times. I was waited on hand and foot, feeling a little guilty as I dreamt about how travel was in days gone by.