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
Easter trading law a drag for businesses
Surely it is time to sort out this fiasco about Easter trading once and for all.
Every year there is this problem of fining the shopkeepers who dare open to serve their customers and visitors.
Tauranga is no longer a sleepy village and visitors expect shops to be open when they call here.
Maybe the solution is for all shops to open in defiance of the stupid law, and for those stores which can easily absorb the fine to undertake to compensate those who cannot.
In these lean times it must be most frustrating to the small shop owners who, due to no fault of their own, are unable to give the customers the service they require.
L R Sinclair, Matua
Repeat offenders
It is of concern that too often rapists and murderers are given bail or parole, only to go on and rape or murder or continue to be law-breakers.
As a taxpayer, I would support the erecting of granny-flat accommodation for the judges to grant bail and parole, and these criminals be accommodated at the judges' residence.
Maybe there would be less liberal granting and less freedom for these criminals and would keep the anti-social out of the community.
Prison cells should be communal - 10 to a room (similar to the barracks used by soldiers who defend this nation) and then the Mongrel Mob, Black Power, Nomads, Hells Angels, gangs and criminals along with child molesters and rapists could learn social skills to get along.
Criminals need to be out of society and repeat offenders need their key disposed of.
Strike three and no return.
Judges grant bail and parole so they need to take responsibility for putting these repeat offenders back on the street.
It is time to harden up and clean up on crime.
Send those Malay drug smugglers straight back to Malaysia with the drugs and let them see how they get on smuggling drugs into their own country.
Lloyd Stone, Bethlehem
Don't blame bars
Re: Tauranga bars top list for drink trouble (News, April 28).
Whatever happened to personal responsibility? How does, and why should, a bar be responsible for the actions of patrons after they have left the premises?
Is it really logical to infer that people proceed to break the law solely as a result of consuming alcohol at a given location, rather than other more complex issues?
The offenders may be just irresponsible, criminals or may have personality issues.
The only options the bars have is to not let these characters in and refuse to serve those who become obviously intoxicated on the premises.
Plenty of people can get a bit drunk and have a good time, do no harm whatsoever and be a pleasure to have around, too.
From experience gained by working in bars a few years ago, I could say that most people who are tanked up have had a skin full before they arrive in town. Often these people make trouble at the doors and in the street.
These are the people who spoil it for those who are there to enjoy themselves responsibly. They make Tauranga a no-go zone as far as night life goes.
Hitting the bars with the sole blame for antisocial behaviour by a few idiots is not fair or logical.
(Abridged.)
Shaun Ellis, Papamoa
Doggy-doo hazard
Re: Doggy doos. I think it's time to stop being so polite about this issue. These are not just doggy doos - they are lumps of potentially hazardous, toxic, faecal excrement which some irresponsible, uncaring members of society think is acceptable to leave on beaches, pavements, walkways and in the countryside for other people to step in or even sit on.
I was enjoying a cup of coffee on the grass bank above Tay St Beach yesterday when a man went down on to the beach with a large dog, which immediately produced a large dollop near the top of the beach where it won't be washed away by the tide (not that that would make it acceptable).
His reaction was to kick a bit of sand over it and continue.
The next person to use that bit of beach could be a child playing in the sand or someone choosing to sit in that spot. It made me so irate to see this behaviour that I left in disgust.
There is no excuse for any dog owner not to bag it and bin it wherever it is produced if it is on public land.
Another plea to dog owners - show that you care about the rest of our community. Otherwise I think dogs should be banned from an increasing number of public areas as they pose a threat to the health of the rest of society.
As pets go, I think hamsters are perfect. But hamsters - probably the most sweet, gentle, harmless pets on the planet - are banned from New Zealand while dogs which bite, foul, bark and frighten people are allowed without restriction.
Heather Shaw, Tauranga
Text Views
* Council tsunami. What! Now the council is preparing a issues and options paper. What the hell is that? Dont waste money get it sorted ya dumbies. Ar.
* Congrats on USA taking out bin laden..gr8 work!! has been long awaitd.
* re bin lardin etha da yanks done a gud job - or its a bludy gud HOAX
* Re. Osama. Read revenge killin. Sure he need 2 b sorted but celebratin asasination? Wat hapened 2 magnaminous in victory?
* Hone u r a complete and utter waste of space an its quite obvious u couldnt care less about the 500,000 wasted tells me alot about u
* Tiki taane, your 15 min of fame is well and truly up. Ray, te puke.
* I back tiki simon wants to loosen up who cares if he thinks he has to look good go tiki
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