The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper this weekend.
THIS WEEKEND'S LETTERS
Events team was careless
Re: Events clash angers moteliers (News, April 12). On what basis does Stuart Cosby get his confidence that we can cater for the two events?
The city was fully booked for that weekend last year, and the year before, and there are now fewer motels.
Even if they did all want to, I do not think the Sebel's 122 guest rooms would be nearly enough for the 6000 extras.
I would like to ask the Mayor if he is happy with council-owned (read ratepayer-owned) facilities making themselves available for events without first checking with any stakeholders as to whether the event can be handled by everyone concerned.
The Mayor said in your article that the clash was unfortunate, might I put it to him and his events team that it was downright careless.
Also, I would like to know why this council seems hell bent on supporting private homes and accommodation providers outside of the professional, commercial, ratepaying accommodation providers in this city, which incidentally pay their wages?
It would seem that buses will be put on to ferry Colgate games participants to and from Matamata and other similar destinations.
I would say at this cost, no sir - it's not great to have an event in this city and have the money generated from it spent in neighbouring council pockets.
(Abridged.)
Tony Burrell, Roselands Motel, Tauranga
'Bad guy' Rudd
"There's nought so queer as folk" kept springing to mind when I read the letters condemning Phil Rudd for his conviction for the dope found in his yacht.
Another saying sprang to mind, too - "well, you could fit that in the corner of your eye" - as the amount was so small.
For heaven's sake - one moment he's being praised to the skies for raising money for Christchurch by showing his mint dream car collection to the public, and the next he's the bad guy for the small amount of marijuana found.
I personally am pleased that the judge saw sense and hope that Mr Rudd will continue to show us any new cars that he buys.
Joye Adams, Mount Maunganui
Old values
Whatever happened to good old-fashioned values?
Anyone aged 65 or over will recall being taught the value of hard work, to save for your wants and always to put a little away for a rainy day. The only time we borrowed was to build or buy the family home.
Sadly, our children and grandchildren have been seduced by the major lending institutions into a new culture of "have now - pay later".
Now, we are reliably informed, this Government will borrow $20 billion dollars this year alone while gambling on increased export receipts to pay the bill.
Other major countries that have relied on borrowing to maintain an unrealistic lifestyle are now paying a huge price, with major enforced cuts in their living standards. Well, hello New Zealand, guess what? Our rainy day has arrived and the cupboard is bare. The recession, Christchurch and failed government policy have all reinforced that fact.
Surely we must act now before it is too late.
All government spending should be scrutinised and, where possible, be capped or reduced.
We can no longer live beyond our means and expect future generations to pay for us. Is this fair or just too old fashioned?
(Abridged.)
Barry Hill, Tauranga
Well done, iwi
Winston Peters' comment piece (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, April 9) is interesting.
That iwi are focused on showcasing Maori culture during the Rugby World Cup is fantastic - in major cities as well as Auckland, I hope.
How did Maori TV get rights to showcase the cup?
Believe it or not, enterprising people out there are not just of Maori/Scottish parentage and maybe some people were still sleeping when Maori TV got the bright idea. Well done, Maori TV.
Financial problems are part and parcel of parliamentary business so, Winston, keep doing what you excel at. We need your input. I'm impressed with your performance.
E Hata, Bellevue
Cellphone towers
Re: Cellphone tower uproar (News, April 12).
The issue of cellphone towers appearing too near residential areas is more about poor town planning than anything.
Sure, it might be an industrial/commercial zone where the antennae is set but the real issue is that many industrial/commercial zones seem to butt hard up against residential areas without any buffer zones between.
In some instances, residential streets have become overrun with small businesses operating from what were formerly domestic homes.
So where does one begin and the other end?
I would think that properly planned areas ought to be the way forward and the industrial/commercial zones ought to be planted out extensively, with wonderful native trees and bushes that would screen and deaden the visual and sound pollution and offset air pollution that comes with industrial developments.
The trees might even help to hide ugly cellphone towers, too.
Steve Callagher, Greerton
Hot pools vote
When will Stuart Crosby and his friends get the message that the majority of Tauranga ratepayers agree wholeheartedly with commissioner Greg Hill and do not want the proposed alterations and additions to the Mount hot pools?
Tauranga City Aquatics and other proposers should stand the losses incurred in the project and be content with the basic $2.2 million refurbishment.
The $6 million saved would more than enough to cover sirens to warn us of coming disasters (though it would need more than sirens to warn us of disasters inflicted on us by council).
No one wants the Mount pools to have two storeys with boutique spas. These pools attract the public without the need for gimmicks.
There are so few camping facilities left at the Mount now, it would be tragic to take away another 24.
M Robertson, Tauranga South
East Cape antics
Being old and decrepit, I get things wrong frequently.
So I must be mistaken about the antics at East Cape, because it seems that the protesters are using fossil fuels to get to the area.
Surely any really dedicated activists have long since renounced personal use of such fuels? Did some cynic make a comment about double standards?John WightmanTaurangaAnti-police lyricsThe action of Tiki Taane in singing anti-police lyrics and defending it as a "work of art" is not the action of a mature man who is a parent.
Rap "music" constantly exhorts violence and the eventual demise of it will not be a tragedy.
I am sure that if Taane was in any real trouble he would call for the police to help him, much in the same way a drowning man - atheist or otherwise - would call out to God to save him.
Taane is a role model of sorts in that he has a fan-base of young, impressionable people.
The police need all the help they can get, so hopefully his court appearance will give pause for thought to those who provoke anti-social behaviour through the lyrics they sing. Hopefully he will have learned a lesson and will take this song out of his repertoire.
Robin Bishop, Pyes Pa
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