Warning on the dangers of furniture fires

.... that antisocial and criminal behaviour in the North Dunedin Campus Area won't be solved voluntarily amongst students and non students.

The patsies and prats in authority should exercise their will for strong policing, and award of stiff penalties via the courts.

It's tempting to invoice the University Council for costs to the emergency services, the hospital ED, the city council, street-cleaning contractors, and university staff and security. It might be token, a publicity stunt, to raise awareness of the indicative total cost of mayhem committed by private individuals with peanuts for brains.

I do recall that - you are right.  However, I also see that year after year after year, as Mr Gibson comments, the students return and this happens.  Just because students weren't arrested doesn't mean they didn't instigate the trouble or light the fires.  For those arrested - was it for starting the fires or just generally acting up?  Trouble attracts trouble. Who owns the furniture? Where is the alcohol coming from? Who's idea is it to drag out the furniture and torch it?  It is the latter people that should be paying the full costs of this idiotic behaviour.

As I said, only a small majority act up.  But when they do it is hell on wheels.  Most students add a rich diversity to Dunedin and are most welcome.

People who cause damage should be billed, but far better for students to have bonfires than die comatose indoors choking on 40 proof.

Girlyswot I seem to recall the most recently reported incident resulted in three or four arrests all non-students.

What in the world do these young people think they are doing?  Where is the fun in burning furniture?  It stinks when it burns, the smoke gets everywhere, there is a huge mess to clean up and don't forget the resources being used to fight the stupidity of these juvenile delinquents.  What is the real cost to the taxpayer to have several engines and staff (taxes) come out to fight these fires?  And the police attend so there is another cost (taxes).  Then there is the council clean up (rates costs) because the perpetrators don't clean up after themselves. 

And what punishment do they get? A smack over the hand with a wet bus ticket because of course they aren't criminals, they are students.  I know it is a small minority but they create huge issues.

User pays is here.  Give the students the invoices for all the resources they are burning up.  If the student can't pay give Mum and Dad the bill. Can't find the perpetrator? Then the university should be paying to try to curb this kind of senselessly destructive behaviour.

I would like to know the real cost of this type of ''fun".  We all end up paying for their lack of self control.