"SUNDAY STAR-TIMES"

INL, Auckland, New Zealand.

Sunday, November 4, 2001.

Page A10.

Letters

CRECHE SILENCE: I find it strange so little has been mentioned of Lynley Hood's recent book on the Christchurch Civic Creche case, since it hit the shelves a month ago. It is perhaps that New Zealand is a nation of slow readers? People are certainly buying A City Possessed, as the best-seller list indicates.

More obvious, though, than the lack of comment on Hood's book, is the silence from the police, social welfare and the complainant parents. The treatment these three groups receive in the book is rough, to say the least, whatever the merits of Hood's arguments.

Thanks to Hood, the case has been put into the context of the criminal justice system, police investigation and child interview techniques and the history of public hysteria.

The problem has become too big. There is a fear that a thorough official examination would open a can of worms so huge, it could be not contained.

Robert G Hayward

Sheffield