Disturbing - Letters, 17 November

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

Weapons in public at hikoi are disturbing

In Tuesday's Bay of Plenty Times, photographs are shown of young Maori attending a hikoi in relation to the deepening of the harbour. What disturbs me is the fact that these young men are carrying weapons such as a mere and a taiaha.

Whereas I recognise these as being part of Maoridom, surely they should be classed as offensive weapons and as such when taken into the public arena the users could/should be charged with the offence of carrying an offensive weapon. If a Pakeha was seen in the street carrying one of these, no doubt the police would intervene and lay charges. I would think twice on approaching one of these youths and arguing the point for fear of threatening behaviour.

It would be interesting to hear the police side of the story.

Antony Wall, Matua

Give him time

I don't know what's wrong with people these days. You're on holiday when a young, stripped and ripped All Black drops in on you and you complain.

All joking aside, this young bloke is really no different from anyone else his age except that his binges are reported on and talked about and then he has to apologise to the nation on TV. He doesn't need professional help. He just needs time - time to grow up which should happen out of the spotlight like most of our young people. But this young man has a talent with a rugby ball for which he is idolised and paid well and we expect perfection.

But his brain just ain't caught up with his body yet folks.

Give him time.

Joye Adams, Mount Maunganui

Arrogance?

Simon Bridges, simply a clash or real arrogance? In your article regarding the Matua Meet the candidates meeting (News, Nov 11) Mr Bridges said that he could not attend because it clashed with a pre-planned series of National Party meetings with members, but it was then reported that he only cancelled at the last minute.

How is it that he didn't know about the pre-planned meeting until last minute and if indeed there was a clash why would he chose to spend the evening with his own members instead of the public whose votes he hopes to receive?

I also noticed that there are very few meet the candidates meetings here this election.

It seems to me that Mr Bridges thinks he deserves our votes without even hearing from us, which is a far cry from the last elections when he wanted to go to every household. Has Mr Bridges grown too big for his britches?

(Abridged)

Sarah Boeh, Pyes Pa

Financial lures

Sadly, yet once again it appears that Labour is endeavouring to purchase an election by offering financial incentives to encourage people to vote for them.

We have seen, just prior to the past three elections, the Labour party offer of interest-free student loans, working for families and then another increase in this, totally free health care for some and then in 2008 the eventual promise of a tax cut and the list goes on.

This time we are being promised an extension of the working for families to beneficiaries and also an extension of maternity leave to 26 weeks and all under the guise that these are similar policies to those in effect overseas. Unfortunately, the current Labour party leader, Phil Goff and for that matter the Labour party in general do not seem to yet realise that the rest of the world is in financial turmoil and in exactly the same way that they can no longer afford many generous policies, neither can NZ.

We must start balancing the books and putting in place policies that benefit the most vulnerable rather than blanket-type policies as being proposed by Labour. Think carefully on November 26.Mike BakerBethlehemPublicity stuntI do not quite understand what the problem John Key has over his very public tea supping meeting with John Banks. It was a visual publicity stunt so why could it not also have been an aural one.

If it was so private then why did they not meet in a private place.

Is it a case of "don't read my lips".

Robin Bishop, Pyes Pa

More pain

Re Oh look, more pain for us all next year.

Where on earth does the council expect us to find the extra money from?

As your article points out (News, Nov 16), the area is suffering from Psa and other various problems caused by the global economic downturn.

I know quite a few people in the kiwifruit industry. They are very concerned about next year's crop. Te-Puke and the surrounding areas will see a massive drop in income.

I noticed in your paper that the foodbank is running red hot with families struggling to get food on the table.

But the council will still raise rates because they have been over spending the past decade plus.

Occupy Wall Street, I wouldn't be surprised that we see occupy Tauranga next year.

What a mess.

Robert Clark, Papamoa

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