Re: Things never change – drugs hinder jobs – Darrell Hellier July 19.
Just over 30 years ago I was asked to take charge of a work skills group teaching horticulture to 30 odd people, on a two acre block in one of our major cities.
On arrival, inspecting the site at 10am, I found a scene of utter desolation, a 6x10 glasshouse minus most of its glass, half a dozen broken hand tools, not a single spade or fork among them.
Nor any person on the site until eventually finding two assistant tutors sitting under a hedge smoking pot.
'Where are the trainees?”, I asked.
'The first seven named are in the hospital getting their daily fix; next five, it's their court appearance day; three seeing their probation officer; then doctor's visits, tangi days and so on.”
But the last one put the cream on the cake: 'Oh, you'll never get them out of bed before lunch time.”
Needless to say I did not take up the position.

Ron Waite, Katikati.