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:
Negative view of freedom campers
Re: Beach bludgers (News, May 10).
I hope that Alan Vane and the proprietors of Tay St Dairy and Tay St Cafe are embarrassed about the publicity given by the Bay of Plenty Times to their inhospitable negativity.
I live nearby too and thoroughly enjoy seeing the enterprising, mostly foreign, freedom campers enjoying our beach and using the facilities we provide.
Camping in their vans and station wagon close to these facilities makes sense. These people, who have the youth and energy to get off their backsides and travel the world, are the future movers and shakers, just like the generations of New Zealanders who have free camped all over Australia and Europe in their Volkswagen Kombis.
I hope that these travellers are made to feel welcome and leave New Zealand with a positive memory of Mount Maunganui. I am much more concerned at the New Zealand residents who regularly leave soiled nappies, takeaway wrappers and broken glass in the Marine Parade gutters after day-tripping each weekend.
John Douglas, Mount Maunganui
No squalid camps
Re Beach bludgers (News, May 10).
At last the public has been made aware of what is happening along Marine Parade at the Mount. As a regular beach user and walker along Marine Parade, we get to see this area filled with freedom vans and their tourist occupants. I would not even venture to say that they are campervans, as there are many responsible campers who are self-contained and leave no litter.
As we walk early in the mornings, they are often still asleep in their vans but they have biffed out their remnants of meals along with other debris into the gutters. The main problem I would perceive to be is the fact that the toilets are locked at nights and they are obviously defecating in the sand dunes.
Yes, the toilet, shower and barbecue facilities are there to be used - not abused. In the peak of summer it makes it difficult for day-trippers to the beach to find parking. This problem also exists right down to the Mt Drury area and it gets more prolific every day.
Most of the offenders are in vehicles in varying stages of decay and don't appear to be legal. Let's ensure our precious beachfront is kept clean and does not become a squalid camp for squatters!
Bernice Carnachan, Tauranga
Test for tailor
Re: Your article on Tony Christiansen (On the Record, May 7).
A tailor's nightmare - how to get an in-leg measurement for a pair of trousers for a person with no legs.
I was a master tailor at the time and owned Academy Tailoring which was upstairs in what was then Victor Building in Wharf St, Tauranga.
Tony's mother brought Tony in to see me to make him a pair of long trousers, Tony was the only boy at the Boys' College allowed to wear longs while the other boys were wearing shorts.
Tony didn't have his "tin" legs with him. I asked him to lay on the floor of the fitting room, I worked out how long his legs would be, added a few inches, playing safe.
He came back two weeks later, this time with his "legs" - they fitted okay and everyone was happy.
I haven't seen Tony from that day to this. Whenever I see him in the news I wonder if he remembers this little job of his first pair of long trousers.
Dick Williamson, Greerton
Dope ban misfires
Re: Legalising cannabis for medicinal purposes (News, May 9).
Dale Kirk from MethCon believes that anything which makes it easier for young people to get their hands on drugs "is not helpful".
In NZ, cannabis prohibition has led to the presence of at least one "tinny shop" in each neighbourhood; most high schools have one located close by. A 15-year-old in this country has a much easier time buying cannabis than alcohol because tinny shops don't card their customers.
If MethCon was truly interested in decreasing levels of drug use amongst teenagers it would support Portuguese drug policy.
Since the Portuguese decriminalised all drugs in 2001, drug consumption amongst 13 to 15-year-olds decreased by a quarter, from 14.1 per cent in 2001 to 10.6 per cent in 2006.
Amongst 16 to 18-year-olds, illegal drug-use rates - which increased from 14.1 per cent in 1995 to 27.6 per cent in 2001 prior to decriminalisation - decreased after decriminalisation to 21.6 per cent in 2006.
Kirk's claim that allowing sick and dying Kiwis to use medical cannabis with their doctor's approval will be bad for young people is a complete and utter red herring. He should stick to the facts.
Stephen McIntyre, Mt Albert
Slack on alcohol
Are they really tough on crime?
In his letter to this paper, Simon Bridges said that most parties other than Act and National voted against tougher measures on crime, but he forgets to mention his party's slack attitude and lack of action towards alcohol-related violence.
The New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey statistics report in 2006 stated that 49 per cent of victims of violence from strangers and 44 per cent of women experiencing rape, all validated that their attacker had been drinking.
Thirty-seven per cent of people beaten up by their partners said that alcohol was involved.
These are significant figures and clearly represent the negative impact abuse of alcohol is having on people within our community.
If National was really committed to reducing crime, it would elevate alcohol tax until these statistics started to drop.
I would like Mr Bridges to answer this: What is more effective - double bunking, or an evidence-based alcohol policy?
Graham Hare, Bellevue
Slanted view
Re Waterfront overhaul seen as key by action group (News, May 10).
It would be great to see Duarne Lankshear and his team spending more of the ratepayers' money on the present issues with the CBD rather than worry about creating more competition.
The money they require to spend on a business case would be much better spent giving the customers of the CBD free parking and the businesses a level playing field.
It has to be more important to get the customers back to the CBD before we spend millions of dollars on the waterfront.
As the parking in the proposed hotel has been drastically reduced, where are the people who use the Strand area and the proposed new waterfront's commercial activities going to park?
This group is funded and are employees of council-owned organisations or the government. There is no private representation on the City Centre Action Group and this alone must give a slanted view of the needs of the CBD.
(Abridged)
Bill Campbell, Tauranga
Time to learn
When will the Government learn?
When you let 700 refugees settle in New Zealand every year, especially in a long recession, no wonder the country is going broke with all the benefit payouts and shortage of jobs.
The Government keeps eroding any effort for NZ to get out of this staggering dept.
The public are not a bunch of village idiots. They watch every year as politicians' wages go up automatically while the public wages have not moved an inch. Wage Freeze.
Yet if the powers that be had any guts and decency then they would also stop their wage rises and have a wage freeze also. Just like thousands of New Zealanders.
Why must the politicians suppress the very people they are supposed to be helping.
Stephen O'Brien, Mount Maunganui
Text views
* Surely the only way to reach 51,000 people 24 hrs a day is by easily recognisable noise ie SIRENS! Grant Dengate
* Has Lianne Dalziel ever watched Two and a Half Men? 100 times worse than Coro St!
* Hurray 4 lianne. She has solved all youth problems. Labor obviously still can not understand why we voted them out. Plonkers.
* Coro Street. If that is all our labour polies can come up with all i can say is get a life. I am sick of being mothered by these idiots
* hoardings: Ugly and well removed. If sponsors genuine they oughta be happy to be listed on a tidy board with appropriate acknowledgments to them. Lyn McDonald
* Sponsor signs giv clubs choices and kids off street away - focused ! Vital self help funding. Signs do no harm
* Why dont people like gray south on who harp on about the world s resources being used up , lead by example and live in a tent!
* Re royal wedin.Excus mi ignoranc j key runs the country.Wgt does the bldy maori king do?Who is he anyway? Dnt hav a clue
* Guess why the maori king wasnt at the royal wedding. He wasnt invited. Thats why.
* Plantg pohutukawa tres in mt just ridiculous. They r forest tres not 4 suburbs. Wil grow 2 shade hses etc. This council always at ods with residts. No comon sense.
* I am a dog owner and pick up all my dogs' mess. I don't see horse owners picking up their waste. Horse poo may be good for the garden but not the beach.
* Mana Party or Mama Party?
* Beta still Winston stop students get, n loan just to have a big OE , get broke an dont cum bak - wot u rekon
* Why dont freedom campers use the mt camping grounds? Thats what its there for,drive down marine parade at nite and you will see lots of vans freedom camping
* So my vehicle gets snapped for speeding. who gets the demerit points? Vehicle owner or another driver of the same vehicle? Joyce ya crackers. Ar.
* I like th student loan policy.. When does ths start?Wil it take long to pass thro govrment?hope not!!
* winston peters is kool. I havent really voted for him in th past but i love the harbour bridge soooo easy to use now. Fanx winny
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