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
Expensive conflict on pools expansion plan
No surprise Tauranga City Aquatics Ltd is appealing the decision to forbid their grandiose Mount Hot Pools expansion plans.
The secret council meeting reminded me of the US satirical Mad magazine comic strip Spy v Spy, one white the other black representing the forces of good and evil. Locally we now have council v council, both dressed in black while hidden dialogue between both parties desperately tries to retrieve the situation.
Tauranga City Aquatics lodged their appeal with the environment court on April 8 (the very next day after the council meeting). One guess as to who will be paying for both sides of this expensive bun fight.
Perry Harlen, Mount Maunganui
Consent appeal
Re: Splashing out on hot pools appeal a waste (Straight Talk, April 5).
All quite simple Richard - to appeal and revisit the consent may well save ratepayers money, stop them from wasting even more.
For the pools to be brought up to specification, for the outfall to the harbour to be improved, a consent is required. The existing consent outcome (no) can be modified to accommodate those, minor in comparison, works that are required.
To appeal does not in any way suggest or imply Tauranga City Council or Tauranga City Aquatics Ltd intend to pursue the project in its original entirety, or to any significant degree. Personally, I will continue to oppose any attempt to do so.
Get the discussion in the open, attend a meeting, get more facts, and you might just have a different opinion.
Cr Murray Guy, Pyes Pa
Amazed at cost
I was amazed to see Cr Guy quoted (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, April 9) as saying "the council had spent $1.3 million since 2005 [i.e. six years ago] on the project [hot pools upgrade] , including consultants' plans and designs".
Looking back over some of my company's projects and allowing a bit for inflation, I managed to understand the council figures. Plans: Conception plans, hand delivered to UK head office (not by me or at my cost) plus working drawings for consent, quotes and construction; $30,000; RMA hearings and consultant fees: $40,000; Contingencies: $30,000.
Windfall profits if I was doing it for council: $1.2 million.
Total: $1.3 million.
Allan Gifford, Tauranga
Changing rooms
I am against further development of the Mount Hot Pools but I would love to see a few thousand spent on upgrading the women's changing rooms to bring it up to the 21st century.
The room, as I see it, is dark, the toilet cubicles very small with the doors opening inward and only one very small sink area. No place to put a toilet bag or hair brush.
I have been to Greerton Pools and several thermal hot pools in this area and they all remind me of the'50s. Let's spruce up what we have, council.
Please?
Sylvia MacKinnon, Katikati
Child strategy
Re: Extra hour in bed - not when you have young kids (Parenting Matters, April 5).
Yes, kids take some time to adjust to changes in daylight saving but why doesn't Julia just tell her 2-year-old to go back to bed?
Raising children is challenging but sometimes mum or dad just need to say "this is how it is".
Reasoning with a 2-year-old may work sometimes but the middle of the night doesn't seem like the best time to be using this strategy.
Bruce Fraser, Welcome Bay
Operatic support
I wish to respond to the ill-informed comments of Mallee Watson (Your View, April 5) regarding the contribution of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa to Christchurch following the September earthquake.
In fact, Dame Kiri supported Southern Opera, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the people of Christchurch by sponsoring a concert in Christchurch on February 12 in association with Deutsche Bank.
The latter organisation donated $100,000 and on this occasion at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Dame Kiri sang with guests Simon O'Neill, Frederica von Stada and a young singer Kawiti Waetford her foundation is mentoring.
They were accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and both the singers and members of the orchestra gifted their time.
In contradiction to Watson's assessment, Dame Kiri has made a significant contribution to the people of Christchurch.
Yolande Hutton, Pahoia
Tiki Taane
Re: Simon Bridges slams Tiki Taane over arrest (News, April 12).
Another backward Maori performer appealing to an obsolete context where categories mattered. Enough backward science Maori, where are all the relative Maori today, or don't they know what this means?
Postmodernism means truth is dead, as are categories for critics of the police or anyone else. Modernity is dead, so catch up Tiki.
Hona Wikeepa,NSW
Cellphone towers
Re: Cellphone tower uproar (news, April 12)
What is the problem with cellphone towers? Why do people object to them?
Yes they do emit something, a radio signal, similar signals to what cellphones emit when you hold them to your ear.
Seems likely that the same people will complain about lack of cellphone coverage next.
Geoff Crowley, Scotland
Coastal bill
Re Coastal Area Bill (Your View, April 11). Roy Smith makes the same mistake as a number of other writers.
He refers to the foreshore and seabed now belonging to the Crown as being the common heritage of all New Zealanders.
If Mr Smith and the Coastal Coalition could produce evidence of the legitimate purchase by their ancestors from the original Maori owners it would validate their claim. Unfortunately for them, the Treaty of Waitangi guaranteed Maori owners the right to perpetual ownership of the land, and all it contains, until ownership was transferred by willing sale.
If land was illegally taken it must be returned with respect for past events so that the future should not be tainted and hurts perpetuated.
All New Zealanders should stand in Maori shoes and they will find that Maori treasure the mauri of land not the dollars raised from plundering it.
There is every reason to think that the foreshore will join the large areas of land under the guardianship of Maori to which all have unrestricted access.
Rihari Paikatoa, Whakamarama
Text views
* Hubbard's cartoon of the Titanic 9/4 was superb. Best I've seen in a paper. As an academic I study his work down 2 the last dot with laserlike precision. It'd b madness not 2.
* Jazz Fest. Everything else is priced but what price is it for the train tickets? Must be highly priced.
* Shame bout loss of goddards loos but th ones 2 blame are the human excrement who leave thier filth smeared around toilets. Instal cameras and name and shame!
* Loo closure, blame it on whoever made it so dirty, a few ruin it for many. Ok when I used it last, will be missed. Diane.
* Plastic waka? As a maori I wuld prefer 2 c waka frm al iwi padling 2 da waterfront. Thort ths wuz nz presentng world cup, nt jus ngati whatua
* A proposed 10.40% rate rise & we are told that the councillors made savings. Yeah right yet they also say they are collecting the same amount of rates being $99 million so obviously the so called savings have been of NO benefit to ratepayers.
* Little old Taupo could hold both events at same time, just look at the gr8 lake bike ride. Tga is a joke going no where. Ar.
* Use local maraes they r tourism 2
* How do all the cars get away with parkin on the footpath along from the sebel gota walk on a busy road to get by MS
* Regarding the tiki taane issue, i was at the gig on saturday night and saw the hole thing. its not fair that he was arrested. thanks tiki for a great night at the bargin price of $5 entry!
* I bet even the police knew th words 2 song by nwa. Its ova 20yrs old! Why r th police in the nite club? Gd wrk tiki bt shud hav been an original! Regan.
* Regarding Tiki Taane being slammed by Simon bridges is rubbish. He (bridges) has no say that could justify what is clearly a song, seems like a publicity stunt for his own credibility.
* The cheek of simon bridges to say'hope we never see tiki taane in tauranga again'? Everyone would be at his gigs, hands down! Tauranga we hope never to see simon bridges again afta this year!
* 2degrees may have chosen where they would like their towers but its the council that has approved consent take it up with our wise council
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