Bad timing: Letters, 9 November 2011

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.

It's time to fine the country's non-voters

It is a constant fascination to me how we can fine people for not registering for the electoral roll (which never actually happens) and then couldn't care less whether they vote or not.

Talk about a screwed up system. And the pollies can't care either, obviously.

The young of this country, and all the rest who don't vote, and dismiss politics as a waste of time, will one day wake up to find the country has been sold from under them and they are part of the leftover dregs.

In Australia they fine you if you don't vote. The sooner that happens here, the better.

R McGuinness, Tauranga

 Open the track

I am very disappointed that Tauranga City Council has not repaired the Oruahine track on Mauao.

My estimate is that it could be repaired in two days.

Last summer 59 cruise liners came to Tauranga port. During the 2011/2012 cruising season a total of 82 cruise ships are scheduled to visit the port of Tauranga. It is estimated that 50 per cent of the cruiser passengers bus to Rotorua and the other 50 per cent stay here to swim and walk around and up the Mauao.

The Oruahine track is far more interesting than the Waikorire track which has so many steps on it and usually requires older people to use walking sticks.

Since I started recording my summit climbs in January 2007, I have climbed Mauao 728 times, this action being my main exercise. The climb takes me a little longer than it did in 2007 but I still enjoy it so much, and certainly preferred Oruahine over Waikorire.

So, Tauranga City Council, please accept my advice and open the closed track after repairing it, to give climbers an optional choice.

John Davies, Mount Maunganui

Timing wrong

I was very surprised and disgusted to see that there was an election session at 10.45pm Sunday night.

What use is that to most people?

There was a load of American rubbish on earlier in the evening on more than one channel. Why is something so important to all of us on so late? Are we not supposed to know what is being suggested for our future and hear the questioning of plans?

While writing, we were not impressed with the first "debate" as it was impossible to hear half of the time and we eventually switched off. This is not the right way to encourage people to vote and poor chairing on the part of Guyon Espiner.

Each person should be able to have their say uninterrupted, even if it is limited to a couple of minutes per person.

Jean Grayson, Papamoa

US has problems

Re: Suicide bombers in Afghanistan.

We have lost our own soldiers in this confrontation. And I must ask, what for?

America sent troops to Korea and expected other countries to contribute in the same way.

America sent troops to Vietnam and expected other countries to contribute in the same way.

America sent troops to Iraq in response to a claimed threat, (weapons of mass destruction) which was later proven to be non-existent, and expected other countries to contribute in the same way. And, finally (I hope) invaded Afghanistan, again expecting other countries to provide troops and other support personnel.

All of the above mentioned military operations were carried out in countries with no accord with America, and indeed, were far removed from that country, and presenting no real threat to the USA. All of this I consider to be arrogant and aggressive behaviour.

Many civilisations from the past: Egyptians, Romans, and leaders, such as Napoleon, overreached themselves in their endeavours to dominate other civilisations. History documents what happened to them.

Perhaps the United States is on the same track; its serious financial problems and inability to deal with its own cultural problems and crime rate seems to indicate this.

Barry H Walker, Mount Maunganui

 Shipping risky

The Green party is noticeably quiet on the environmental disaster caused by the ship Rena.

The Green party policy is: "To encourage freight to be shifted off road and onto rail and coastal shipping". With any Green party influence in Government the likelihood of more of these environmental disasters happening again would be greatly increased due to the Greens' policy.

Let's consider a Government that wants to improve the roads, which not only saves human lives but saves the country from more of these shipping environmental disasters.

J Turner,  Geraldine

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