The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS
Council's red card not very sporting
Re Clubs forced to take down signs (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, May 7). Sad, how very, very sad.
That the council has picked on sports clubs to take down minuscule signs. They find it hard enough to make ends meet - what is wrong with the signs?
So what if the soccer clubs want to put up huge signs? Why not just say to them that they can do the same as the rugby grounds?
Great tale of making it hard for someone that hasn't done anything wrong.
DARREN JOHNSTON, Mount Maunganui
Aggro in bottle
Bar owners and managers obviously shouldn't be shouldering all the blame for the many antisocial events that occur near their premises, but they are selling a drug that is proven to cause aggression, and therein lies considerable responsibility, in my view.
I look forward to some aspects of the alcohol law-reform bill which will limit opening hours (unfortunately not enough) and allow the community to have more say on liquor licences and their problems. One must empathise for hotel owners whose businesses are being undermined by supermarket booze and discount liquor stores, allowing the preloaders to arrive at drinking institutions in a state of high risk.
When preloaders are associated with bars, they commit crime, and bog up our hospitals, leaving the community responsible for the tab, not the individual, nor the vendor of alcohol. Bar owners need to understand the full extent of the damage that is associated with their business.
If they are responsible individuals, I would expect them to minimise this professionally. Past articles in this newspaper indicate that this is not happening, so I hope that the Government does not expect individual responsibility to sort this mess out, as it just isn't enough.
TONY FARRELL, Mount Maunganui
Hone shames
Re: Hone Harawira: 'Bin Laden was a freedom fighter' (News, May 5)
Not real happy with this statement. Bin Laden was a coward - who in their right mind kills thousands of people, using other people to do his dirty work, and for what? What was achieved?
Martin Luther King was a freedom fighter, Mr Harawira, hence the movement of Black Americans.
Bin Laden is certainly not in this category and please don't compare him with our Maori people. If there is anything I have learnt in life it is that most Maori will confront other persons if they have issues with them.
Far out, Hone, I am very ashamed of your statement.
KERE LOCKYER, Australia
Hero, not villain
Re $500,000 rip-off (News, May 5).
Any man that employs 46 people and keeps them off the dole queue is a bloody hero in today's economic climate.
The looters (IRD) are irate because they didn't get to steal (tax) a portion of his earnings before he paid his workers.
When the productive people of the country have to gain the permission of the non-productive you know your society is doomed.
The man who employed 46 people (and many more over his 20-year history) will possibly be thrown in jail, leaving 46 people without a motivated employer, with the result of 47 otherwise working people now becoming a burden on society.
This man should be hailed as a hero, not a villain. Meanwhile the unproductive parasites at the IRD are free to continue their persecution of more hard-working Kiwis.
GRAHAM CLARK, Lower Kaimai
Goodwill hunting
Re National tougher on crime, rest not so keen (Your View, May 6).
Mr Bridges, the present justice system does not work, hasn't worked, and won't work. Would you vote for a car that didn't run?
Your pre-election mailer said that you wanted Tauranga to stay a beautiful safe place, for your children (unborn) to grow up in. So Tauranga needs a new, bigger police station and a bigger, upgraded courthouse ...
As a parent (and I know millions will lend their voice to mine), the whole "consequences of actions", is never thought of till after the fact.
Very similar to adults?
Anyway, the point is this: Rewarding positive action works best. Hands down. No competition.
Why hasn't New Zealand led the world and replaced the resounding negative connotations of a fining system with a system dedicated to accumulating goodwill points?
I feel that politicians may find it harder to drum up goodwill points than votes.
Let the goodest of us, be the best of us.
J GANDERTON, Mount Maunganui
Text views
* Rubbish! If you really loved your cat you woud not trap the poor thing in a taped up box and dump it on anyones doorstep. shame on you.
* Great to see sergeant lack back to work. I do wonder how forcefull acc was at getting her back to work as well.
* Osama bin laden's farewell ... from Hone Harawira, probably most respectful haere ra, I have ever heard any politician giving, Someone so notorius as Osama Bin Laden. Good one Hone. Cannot condone atrocities committed against any nation from any nation. Excuses such as those used to justify such events r lyk major ego mania. JR..TGA
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