The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
THIS WEEKEND'S LETTERS
Change prescription
According to Winston Peters (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, April 23), "Childhood can be a dog's life" (for some), certainly not for all. But what we need to be told is why.
It is very valid for him to mention that out of the ruins of World War II a number of Western economies constructed social advances hitherto unmatched in history.
However, rather than changing our attitudes to children we need to consider why so many things that affect some children so badly come about.
I agree that if we follow the same prescription as now that create expenditure blowouts, we will continue to fail.
Peters refers to the time when we were delivering more economic progress and social equity back then than any nation on earth and we were proud of it.
The salient point being that it cost so much less then.
So what have we done wrong?
I suggest that we have been conned by some of our marketers, who changed our beliefs to accept that things are worth what you can get for them, thus creating inflation.
However, rather than the value of goods and services rising, it is the value of our currency that we have devalued.
This means you need much more of it to purchase the same old things.
Unless we change the prescription, as Peters says, every political call for economic growth will make our growing problems much worse.
DL REID, Tauranga
Great columns
I feel I must write to say how much I enjoy the writings and musings of Winston Peters and Dame Susan Devoy in Bay of Plenty Times Weekend each Saturday.
They are a breath of fresh air.
Thank God for two people with good old-fashioned common sense.
MARGARET FORSYTHE, Papamoa
Words hijacked
Am I alone in bewailing the endless expressions of concern from unnamed members of the homosexual community about perceived "offence" to them, delivered by those using colloquial language?
Not content with the hijacking of the earlier perfectly respectable "gay" word to their own use, we now face potential restrictions on the use of a word that for generations meant only one thing - a quiet "smoke".
Stand firm, Peter Williams, we never were in any doubt what you referred to!DAVID LEEPapamoaAnzac serviceAlong with many others, I attended the dawn Anzac service. For the first time, I took my two grandchildren.
I was really disappointed when the Christchurch earthquake and the Pike River Mine tragedies where referred to.
This is the only day we put aside for the men and women who fought for our freedom and it should stay that way.
I don't recall the Erebus tragedy, Wahine sinking, the Napier earthquake or any other NZ tragedy being mentioned on Anzac Day.
Christchurch had their memorial day.
Why is this event being brought up at every opportunity - even in London John Key mentioned it? Why is this happening, is it political?
I believe Erebus and the Napier earthquake had more loss of life.
I wonder what the survivors of Napier think of it all, when they just had to get on with looking after themselves and rebuild.
My grandchildren both said to me they were confused with these two recent events being mentioned, when we were there for the wars we have been involved with.
Please leave Anzac Day to the men and women who have fought for our freedom.
LESLEY PARK, Mount Maunganui
Brash takeover
Re Don Brash.
This is truly an anti-democratic act.
I am not a member of any political party but am seriously now looking at joining one to counter this sort of thing.
Don Brash - a much rejected National candidate over a number of elections - finally sneaked in via the List to be a National MP.
Subsequently he was rejected by New Zealand voters and effectively dumped by National.
He has never been elected by any voter in his life.
Now he wants to be the leader of Act Party, without even being a member.
If he succeeds he will then be in a position after the next election to control the National Government (if National wins).
Is this what New Zealanders want?
To avoid this, vote for any other party than National or Act at the next election, at least with your party vote.
P DILLON, Tauranga
Well done, guys
"Dawson's up creek no more" (Sport, April 26).
Congratulations to the Tauranga paddlers for the fabulous outcome of the slalom nationals in Kawerau.
It is just fantastic.
You paddlers, your families, and all of Tauranga can be very proud of your skill, courage and achievements.
Your dominance is impressive at every level.
While Tim Taylor diligently confronts the never ending challenges of kayaking the New Zealand coast, he will have been inspired by your successes.
Very well done.
Keep enjoying paddling hard.
BARRY and BARBARA ANDERSON, Tauranga
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